[Elecraft] OT: Hate the word "ham"

[Cathy James]

W2AGN wrote:
"The term "Ham Radio" has been used at least for 75 years, possibly 
more. Most of us "old-timers" are proud to be Hams. But then, we took 
"real" exams and even, back in the olden days, had to pass a Morse Code 
test. (After walking barefoot in the snow 5 miles to the FCC examiner, 
of course).

"Perhaps the term "Ham Radio" has become outmoded, with the new trends in Amateur Radio, no more code test, memorized exams, etc. So maybe we should "repackage" ourselves.

"I know! Why don't we call it "Citizen's Band?"  (CB for short)."

	John, I know you are using some irony here ("barefoot in the snow..."), and I don't offend easily, but I have to same that we "new" hams (first licensed 1991 in my case) get a little tired of the endless litany of "you young whippersnippers ain't as good as us" that is often heard from old-timers on the Net.  (Interesting, I don't think I've ever heard it in person or on the air.  I don't use 75 meters, and it doesn't seem to be common on other bands.)

	I mean, c'mon, I have an engineering degree (albeit not EE), an Extra, routinely ragchew at 16-18 wpm CW, my shack is full of kits I've built, I build complex antennas from scratch (two Moxons so far), and I'm studying RF theory as time permits in hope of eventually designing and building my own rigs.  Yet there is a group of hams that will never consider me their equal because I didn't take the same exam they did in front of an FCC examiner and never passed a CW test higher than 5 wpm.  Give it a rest!

NZ0R wrote:
"In terms of its reputation and usefulness, ham radio seems stuck in the 50's
to me. Technology-wise it's pretty up-to-date but for the most part it's a
quaint throwback to simpler times. The name "ham" may be odd and
embarrassing, but people do know what it means."

	Craig, I fully agree that in many ways ham radio is stuck in the 1950's.  I'm not quite sure why or what to do about it.  The world has changed, the culture has changed, and we have to change with it or we will disappear.  Certainly the ability to talk to someone in Norway or New Zealand is no longer unique with the rise of the Internet, and cellphones have replaced some of the uses of HT's and other VHF operations.  We need to focus on the things that can't be done in consumer-land, such as building and tinkering with hardware and software, experimenting at the edge of today's knowledge, and providing emergency services.

N5IB wrote:
"Our Louisiana call letter plates have the legend "Ham Operator."

	Very interesting!  I've lived in many states and traveled through most, and the vast majority use "Amateur Radio" on their license plates.


Cathy
N5WVR