[AMRadio] Ham Radio Growing in the age of Twitter

[D. Chester]

>> why I work AM.  ten was open a bit yesterday and I worked a few
>> stations.(SSB)  the conversations were short ( not on my end) and sounded
>> like CB jargon.

Not just on 10m.  I notice the same thing on 75, 40 and 160.  And not just 
SSB, I also  hear it on AM.

Little short 3-4 word transmissions.  Sometimes it goes by so fast I can't 
even get the call sign.  Something I really have a problem with is people 
just dropping the carrier in mid sentence without saying "over" or "go 
ahead".  I'm not always sure they turned it over to me, if their rig just 
crapped out, or if propagation conditions have taken a sudden change.

I few times I have had to ask the other station to please repeat your call a 
couple of times; you are running it by too fast. Also, I usually make it a 
point by saying, "I wasn't sure you turned it back to me.  You didn't say 
"over" or anything to give me a clue that your transmission had ended."

This happens a lot when I call CQ and indicate that I am listening in AM 
mode.  Often the station coming back tells me this is the first time he has 
tried the rig on AM, and I assume he is not familiar with normal AM 
operating procedure.

I usually try to have patience and explain  the procedure to newcomers. I 
have quite often had stations to say they were impressed with the sound of 
AM and would try it out some more.  A couple that I have known of have 
eventually taken the plunge, acquired a plate modulated tube type rig, and 
AM has become their primary mode of operation.

But some operators who drop the carrier without warning have been operating 
AM for quite a while and still do that.  I find it annoying, particularly 
with stations that are weak and in the noise level, and I don't have a clue 
when they stand by.  Maybe they used roger beeps when they were on CB.

Don k4kyv
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