Quote:
Originally Posted by lnx64
The worst part about this is I otherwise loved the hobby. I loved the good people, but the worst hams seem to outweigh the good ones. I really want to stay in this hobby but, being treated like crap is taking its toll, and with high anxiety and constant panic attacks, I can't take this abuse anymore. Worst yet, on the air when I get insulted, they refuse to identify their call sign so I can't even report abuse. They'll seemingly chose to go off the air without ID because they know the way they act would get their license revoked.
I can't stand it anymore. I'm tired of people like this, I want to punch a pillow with their faces on it just to relieve stress and I shouldn't have to feel that way, or feel "inferior" in some way just because I might trip up. These are the same people who themselves make mistakes, and then pat each other on the back, while insulting newer enthusiasts.
I just can't do it anymore, and don't see why I should subject myself to abuse from older hams who think they are gods gift to the hobby. It's supposed to be a fun hobby, not stressful and making me feeling like I should blow my brains out with my .40 cal. (Seriously, one night I got suicidal after how I got tag teamed on the air over the wrong use of 73, even cussed at, and of course, none of them would ID. I ended up recording the conversations to cassette as a means of having SOMETHING to defend myself).
|
I am very sorry to hear you are considering leaving amateur radio. I have been in this hobby 48 years and have absolutely no intention of giving it up. I enjoy it immensely, and have met a lot of very nice folks, both on the air and in person at hamfests and radio club meetings. (I belong to a radio club near here, but unfortunately, since I don't drive and the local bus line in my small town does not run past 10 p.m., I haven't been to the club's meetings literally in years.) I had to give up my HF station when I moved to an apartment in 1999 (very long story and OT), but thankfully I am still able to operate 2 meters and Echolink with my Icom IC-T22A 1.5-watt handheld transceiver, since the club's repeater is only a mile or two from me. My club has a 2-meter net each Thursday evening at 8 o'clock; I try to check in when I can, to compensate for being unable to get to the meetings, but sometimes I get busy and just plain forget about it.
Amateur radio operators are mostly very fine people, but there are a few bad apples in the barrel, so to speak, just as in life. The hams you mention who have chewed you and other hams out for such things as the improper use of 73, etc. are nitpickers; they should not, admittedly, be doing that over the air, but once again, that's life in ham radio. Those hams who chew folks out on the air, sometimes using language that is just short of being illegal on the ham bands, without using an ID every ten minutes or violating other amateur regulations, are violating FCC rules and the rules of etiquette, in that order, but again, that's the way it goes; these people obviously do not care and will not give a second thought to it until or unless they are warned, fined by the FCC and/or are banned from a local repeater.
I do hope you will reconsider but, after all, it is your choice if you want to leave the hobby.
73, and good luck.