TZUTC: -0800   
   MSGID: 682.fido_ham@1:105/7 2d71ea22   
   REPLY: 1:135/250@fidonet 690c283a   
   PID: Synchronet 3.21a-Linux master/76f469f66 Nov 04 2025 GCC 13.3.0   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.31-Linux master/76f469f66 Nov 04 2025 GCC 13.3.0   
   BBSID: DIGDIST   
   CHRS: CP437 2   
   FORMAT: flowed   
   -=> Rug Rat wrote to All <=-   
      
    RR> 2) Thats depends on your geography, in SoCal this is not the case   
    RR> (Though one2 of the things I miss about SoCal, is the wide area   
    RR> coverage repeaters 6 - 7k mountains will give you.).  I will admit in   
    RR> the Florida panhandle this is the case.  I have had more QSOs either on   
    RR> SIMPLEX (My Echolink node via the EastCoast Reflector, or .520).  It is   
    RR> what it is, though that just gives me more reason to get on HF.   
      
   When I travel north, back when we were using the truck that has the mobile   
   rig, I would hit Evansville and have traffic - then it would peter out -    
   then Bloomington and Indianapolis were ALWAYS hopping! So yeah, depends   
   on your location...   
      
   And yes to the HF statement... That's the main reason I am interested -   
   so that I can get our further!   
      
    RR> Meanwhile, we spend more time arguing about Baofeng's and Digital modes   
    RR> than actually talking on the air ..   
      
    RR> Where are we arguing, if it is on the air (especially your local   
    RR> repeater), that kind of negates your first argument.  What are these   
    RR> arguments about?   
      
   I think the general statement is that 'old timers' complain about    
   Baofeng's. I used to geocache - a LOT - with my wife, kids and   
   some other friends. This was before smart phones, when you had to   
   use a handheld GPS, and we had programs to load the data from a   
   laptop. It was a VERY niche hobby.   
      
   Now with smartphones anyone and everyone can just open the app and   
   go right there - then log it from the app, etc.   
      
   Now don't get me wrong - I'm not saying it's BAD that it's more   
   accesible to the general public! I think that's great! But to   
   'old timers' like me, some of the charm is gone.   
      
   Equating that to the B'fang discussion though, some people say   
   that's not REAL ham radio... Personally, I don't hear that    
   around here, but there might be people actually saying it.   
      
    RR>      That doesn't make   
    RR> it legal, and people should definately not be encouraging new hams to   
    RR> do this.  If you have a GMRS license, great, just don't use amateur   
    RR> gear to use it.   
      
    Yep - and 'kids' getting radios from Amazon and using them on the    
    amateur bands without a license. Yes, it's bad - yes, it's illegal.   
    But the answer is not to slap their hand, but to hold it and guide   
    them on the proper use. GENTLY. I think the OP is talking about   
    the general attitude (salute) of SOME people that say 'get out of    
    my yard and off my band.'   
      
    RR> So get on another net.  The East Coast Reflector runs some great nets,   
    RR> such as the Morning Brew, Tech Net, Youth Net (Which is a great way to   
    RR> promote amateur radio to young people).  Get your younger family   
    RR> members involved.  3rd party traffic is not only allowed but ENCOURAGED   
    RR> (Which will make this post entirely superfluous.), and my favorite   
    RR> Trivia Net.  Ham radio has always been what YOU make of it.   
      
    I need to look into those... I don't have anything digital nor HF   
    though, but I have used echonet before...   
      
    RR>        In any facet of   
    RR> life you will have people who will brush you off, if someone at a club   
    RR> meeting or convention gives you the cold shoulder, likes Kenwood Vs.   
    RR> Yaesu, or tells you that you are not a real ham because you have a   
    RR> BatFang, go find someone who does.   
      
    Agreed! I play music and used to jam a LOT in the local bluegrass   
    'club.' I have a 1969 Yamaha that is a copy of a D-18 Martin. It    
    is LOUD as a CANNON! I get a kick out of people that compliment   
    the guitar and the sound and then they look at the headstock and   
    see it's NOT a Martin and their countenance changes. They suddenly   
    dismiss it cause it's not a REAL guitar. LOL I want to ask, "why   
    don't you like it now that you know the brand?" LOL   
      
    RR> I however cringe going to the fair, and hearing someone trying to   
    RR> entice people to get into the hobby by saying, "Do you have a cell   
    RR> phone?  You have a radio right in your pocket..".  If I had no interest   
    RR> in the hobby, or know nothing about ham radio.  Telling me I already   
    RR> have something that will do what you are trying to demonstrate.  I will   
    RR> most likely stop listening as I already have it, and it has more   
    RR> features than what you are trying to sell me. Again, I applaud the   
    RR> effort, and it would take a lot to get me to take their place, but   
    RR> UGGGH...   
      
   Yep! If someone has no interest, they have no interest. I have no interest   
   in contesting, but I'll be happy to answer POTA CQ's once I get an HF   
   rig, because I like to TALK TO PEOPLE. :-) Heck - it's what got me   
   into BBS's years ago - the nets!   
      
      
   ... Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?   
   --- MultiMail/Mac v0.52   
    * Origin: Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com (1:105/7)   
   SEEN-BY: 18/200 105/7 10 11 44 45 81 500 106/201 128/187 129/14 305   
   SEEN-BY: 153/7715 154/110 218/700 226/30 227/114 229/110 112 200 206   
   SEEN-BY: 229/300 307 312 317 400 426 428 470 664 700 705 266/512 291/111   
   SEEN-BY: 292/854 320/219 322/757 342/200 396/45 460/58 633/280 712/848   
   SEEN-BY: 902/26 5020/400 5075/35   
   PATH: 105/7 81 229/426