Leaving the ham hobby.

[lnx64]

I can't deal with this kind of crap anymore from others. I muted my call sign in post editing but this is the kind of attitude I get all the time on the air if you so much as mess up once, or last time, I sounded young so I was insulted for not having to learn CW despite learning it anyway behind the scenes. Screw this to hell. Sorry for my language but I can't stand it anymore.



I'll have 4 transceivers up for sale soon. Two HT's, a quad band and a 2M 2900R Yaesu. I quit.

[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).

[init4fun]

While I know all too well how the Assholes of the world can ruin things , you can't stop doing the hobbies you love to do just because some jerk got his jollies by riling you up . Assholes unfortunately participate in all hobbies and in all of life's other endeavors and the best way to deflate them is to not take the bait (or knock their sorry ass out with one punch , as I was lucky enough to get away with a few times in my youth ) . In short , if you quit everything that may cause you to encounter an Asshole , not only do the Assholes then win , but you'll end up having a pretty boring life .....

[Jeffhs]

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.

[lnx64]

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

I do hope you will reconsider

I am trying very hard to find a reason to reconsider. One reason to stay is the fact that I have in fact met great people, and Orlando's Hamcation was an amazing place, to find not just ham gear, but other awesome electronics stuff to mess around with or just to have because I thought it was cool (and learn how it worked and what it did as a mental exercise and appreciation). Another reason I'd want to stay, is if there is an emergency, that I can still help. I was fairly proud of passing and getting my general class license, I even got a plate for my car with my callsign and pay the price for it every year.

I'm sure after a calm down period I probably won't, but it's these experiences which make me feel honestly down about it and feeling like I wasted money only to be picked on either for one thing or the other. The stuttering is the worst, and I feel it gets the most complaints, as if I could control it. My turrets isn't the type that causes swearing, just ticks, and that does come out as noises or a stutter for me.

[MIPS]

Oh hey, this is like the people who take the ATC simulator jobs WAY too seriously.

Nooo! You can't just informal radio talk. This is a controlled frequency!
(there's a few good youtube videos on this)
Believe me, ham bands are not the only places filled with people so to the book. Normally I just say that someone's got an interference issue because I can't filter out this autistic screeching. Then they either engage nun-mode and get even more anal than a 20something on BangBros (reference joke, please don't google that) or ragequit.

Edited: also it's youtube, so expect a lot of armchair ham-ops. You can just hide/remove comments and save yourself having to get into a sissyfight.

[Titan1a]

Just remember one day you might be needed in an emergency. You made it clear you are the adult in the room. I admire you. I don't have a license/xmitter but I listen. I consider the source. I pray you don't give up hope: I'm rooting for you!

[MadMan]

Fuck those people. Maybe quit for a while, or indefinitely. Doesn't mean you have to sell your equipment. I'd hang on to it just in case you change your mind in the future.

[zeno]

Ditto

This is as real as it gets.

73 Zeno
LFOD !

Originally Posted by init4fun

While I know all too well how the Assholes of the world can ruin things , you can't stop doing the hobbies you love to do just because some jerk got his jollies by riling you up . Assholes unfortunately participate in all hobbies and in all of life's other endeavors and the best way to deflate them is to not take the bait (or knock their sorry ass out with one punch , as I was lucky enough to get away with a few times in my youth ) . In short , if you quit everything that may cause you to encounter an Asshole , not only do the Assholes then win , but you'll end up having a pretty boring life .....

[zeno]

Through your many posts I see you appreciate NTSC.
This may be an answer to your HAM problem.

http://www.hamtv.com/

If there are any locals or you live at high elevation I am SURE
you will be welcome with open arms. Even if you are not in that
situation you can go mountain topping. Where I live elev is only
abt 650 feet. BUT I can drive up mtns at 2000', 2300', 3000'
6288' & others in between. Closest is 15 miles. An example
is Mt. Equinox in S VT. just under 4000' , When I stayed there
as a kid the rooms had POS westinghouse B&W all tube TV's just
running on ears. Philadelphia VHF's came in solid.....
You wont find many NTSC hams but it may give you a cross interest.

73 Zeno
LFOD !

[Dude111]

Originally Posted by lnx64

I'll have 4 transceivers up for sale soon. Two HT's, a quad band and a 2M 2900R Yaesu. I quit.

I hear ya. IM SICK OF IT ALL...............

Im sick of all the fucking sheeple morons about,im sick of how mean people are now..

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Dude111

I hear ya. IM SICK OF IT ALL...............

Im sick of all the fucking sheeple morons about,im sick of how mean people are now..

It's all about wealth and entitlement!
The people, young and old have too much time on their hands. It's sad, that the times are as they are! Follow the news every day. It's pathetic!

[Dude111]

Yup it sure is!!!!!!!!

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Dude111

I hear ya. IM SICK OF IT ALL...............

Im sick of all the fucking sheeple morons about,im sick of how mean people are now..

You can tell how the way they drive and the cars they drive. Yuppie junk!
I'm 75 and a conservative speeder, three to seven miles over the speed limit.
The "I" system is only two lanes in each direction north of Milwaukee and I drive in the left lane, I call it the Illinois lane! Someone is always crawling up my a&s. As I get older, I get less tolerant.

[lnx64]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

You can tell how the way they drive and the cars they drive. Yuppie junk!
I'm 75 and a conservative speeder, three to seven miles over the speed limit.
The "I" system is only two lanes in each direction north of Milwaukee and I drive in the left lane, I call it the Illinois lane! Someone is always crawling up my a&s. As I get older, I get less tolerant.

I tend to stick in my middle or right lane, and go with the flow of traffic since I'm never in a rush (the only rush is that I can leave early so I don't need to be driving in a rush). Even in the right lane with a car in front of me, someone has to ride their BMW up on my Caprice's ass.

So, I grew tired of them. Brakes? No. Engine braking? You bet. With my 4L60E, I don't use Overdrive on city roads because it'll just hunt. So in regular drive, it never goes above 3rd gear and TCC lockup the way it feels, so if someone comes up on my ass, I drop it into 2nd. They freak out fast and lock their brakes because I had no brake lights to signify I was slowing down at all.

I'm only 33 (34 next month), and I'm tired of their crap and don't even care if I get rear ended at this point. They are the one's riding so god damned close I can't even see their headlights, they would be at fault, I didn't want to hit the squirrel.