Amateur Radio - From The Back Rooms to the Open Air

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Amateur Radio - From The Back Rooms to the Open Air

W3HCW 1957
Photo: Courtesy https://www.twocommunications.com/


For most of my early years of my Amateur Radio existence, operators' stations locations were known for their simple, modest and sometimes enormous antenna towers. This was and is basically a good indication that a "Ham Radio" operator resides somewhere near those structures.  And if you had the opportunity to visit the radio rooms (Ham Shack) of those operators, some of them may have been in a corner of a room, in a closet, a spandrel, a garage, a shed or look similar to the photo above

In today's world, that is far from the case.  Due to HOAs (Home Owner's Associations) and other covenant restrictions, ham operators in their infinite ingenuity, come up of many types of inconspicuous means of assembling antennas to enjoy their hobby.

The minimization of electronics have given Ham Radio operators the ability to communicate "To infinity and Beyond".  During my past three years of operating portable, primarily POTA, I've had countless people inquire what I was doing. Most of the POTA sites near my QTH are parks where trying to find a spot which is safe AND a considerable distance away from people is limited. 

For me its no big deal. Most of the time people will look, point, observe and casually walk, bicycle ride or run by without saying a word. But then, there are the ones who's curiosity takes the best of them. Doesn't matter the age, nationality, or sex, the sight of someone sitting under a pole with wires going this way and that way, hearing beeps and tones, have to find out what is going on. 





Summits on the Air (SOTA), Parks on the Air (POTA) and World Wide Fauna (WWFF) have given ham radio operators a way to bring our equipment out of the dark rooms to the open air.  It is exciting times we live in in this world of Amateur Radio. We should take advantage of the minimization of the equipment we have at our disposable and show the world just how GREAT ham radio is not only as a hobby but exposing young and old minds to potentially unimaginable innovations.

As the daylight starts to shorten, the temperatures become more tolerable, it can present the favorable conditions to take our equipment portable to remind the world that, HAM RADIO is still something people do.  It doesn't have to be POTA or SOTA  but its a good time to experience all Mother Nature has to offer as the season changes.


Here are some who just enjoy operating outdoors.


Portable Amateur Radio


M0KVI Owen



W0ABE "Fin"


KH6WI  Eric



VE5REV Jason


KH6RF John


VA7USD  Matthew
 


KO4TJP Jake


W3IPA  Tim





Amateurs operating through Satellites and the International Space Station (ISS) can be very simple but for some, but some have a wide array of portable equipment they use for different modes to communicate via satellites and ISS.


Portable Satellite Operation


K9BCM  Thomas


VA3VGR Richard



EA2CW / AE2CW - Mikel 



K8ZRY Zach
 


WD9EWK  Patrick



KE5NJ  Chris




KG4AKV John  



SP3RNZ Greg



NC0Q  Tim


KB5FHK Thomas







Parks on the Air has taken portable ham radio operating to a different level.  Here is just a few of the thousands who choose to spend a lot of their operating time outdoors.


Parks on the Air


AE4JC Matthew





K1STG Fred



KC9BKA Dan


KM6HJC Ben


KN4YZY Corey


N9OHW  Michael



KA3DRR  Scot



AI5DD  Joe




K4WSD  / Allen




KB6NU Dan
      






And then there are the ones who operate Summits on the Air (SOTA). Some might think this is an Extreme Sport but to them, its just another day at the office.



Summits on the Air


KO6BTM Di


EC7ZT  Manu



JL1SDA   Tetsuya 



MM0EFI Fraser



WA7JNJ James








JR8MHA  Katsu


N2SRK Dan
NA0MT  Scott



N6ARA  Ara



K4KFO  Yusef




You don't have to travel far from the Backroom to the Open Air.  A few weeks ago I began a Sunday morning routine of "A Cup of Joe Patio Amateur Radio".  It's my quiet time to relax, commune with nature and do some sort of ham radio operating. For me its natural boost to reset for another week.





We've come a long way baby from the days of operating portable in the photo below. Why not grab your gear now at head out for some Ham Radio Portable operating. 


WN5BRS circa 1963 Vehicle:1958 Plymouth Wagon
Photo: Courtesy https://www.twocommunications.com/



Location: Louisville, KY, USA

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