[Elecraft] Is ham radio a sport ??

Thu Mar 21 08:58:53 EDT 2013

Anything you can drink alcohol during and eat carne asada while doing is not a sport. Haha! 

But then again I used to play on corporate softball team and that is exactly what we did. I did consider softball a sport as people were very competitive, cursed a lot, tried tactics of intimidation and ridicule (ham radio does have that going for it), and people got hurt. I think physical exertion and risk of physical harm are the things that are lacking to convince me ham radio is a sport IMHO. 

For a long time I was thinking of combining snowboarding and DXing together as an activity. Maybe remote on top of Mammoth looking for a tree to hang an antenna and working DX, but even that would not be a sport. Much as I used to run long distance races (Oahu Perimeter run, half marathons, 20k, etc) but I don't really consider that a sport. Even the iron man in hawaii is not a sport, it is an endurance competition. Ham radio can be a competitive activity but it is mostly a great challenging hobby. 

Another thought, I have a couple family members whose company has major TV special effects and post production contracts with ESPN, CBS sports and the Bundesliga and others, so maybe I can ask them to poll their clients on whether they believe that ham radio is a sport. It would make for a very interesting discussion maybe on the Jim Rome show or sportscenter. Lol.

Keith
AK6ZZ 

Sent from my iPhone please excuse typos

On Mar 21, 2013, at 5:34 AM, "Fred Smith" <mfsj at mo-net.com> wrote:

> Well it qualifies under 1/2/3/5a/5b you proved the point that it is thanks!
> 
> 
> 73,
> Fred/N0AZZ
> K3 Ser #'s 6730/5299--KX3 # 2573--K2/100--KAT100
> P3/SVGA--KPA500--KAT500--W2
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of kevinr
> Sent: Wednesday, March 20, 2013 9:59 PM
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Is ham radio a sport ??
> 
> I looked up the definition of sport:
> 
> sport  (spôrt, sprt)
> n.
> 1. a.  Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and
> often engaged in competitively.
> b.  A particular form of this activity.
> 
> 2.  An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a
> set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.
> 
> 3.  An active pastime; recreation.
> 4. a.  Mockery; jest: He made sport of his own looks.
> b.  An object of mockery, jest, or play: treated our interests as sport.
> c.  A joking mood or attitude: She made the remark in sport.
> 
> 5. a.  One known for the manner of one's acceptance of rules, especially of
> a game, or of a difficult situation: a poor sport.
> b. Informal One who accepts rules or difficult situations well.
> c. Informal A pleasant companion: was a real sport during the trip.
> 
> 6. Informal
> a.  A person who lives a jolly, extravagant life.
> b.  A gambler at sporting events.
> 
> 7. Biology An organism that shows a marked change from the normal type or
> parent stock, typically as a result of mutation.
> 
> 8. Maine See summercater. See Regional Note at summercater.
> 
> 9. Obsolete Amorous dalliance; lovemaking.
> 
> It looks like the first two definitions fit the exercise part of things.
> Definition three fits the RadioSport setting better.
>    Kevin.  KD5ONS
> 
> 
> 
> On 3/20/2013 7:50 PM, Scott Manthe wrote:
>> Queen Victoria's definition notwithstanding, anyone who runs 12 or 14 
>> hours straight in a CW contest has shown a great deal of endurance and 
>> if they're using a set of paddles, a good deal of physical skill.
>> 
>> The term "sport" has had an expanded definition for decades to include 
>> that which is not strictly physical. The "shooting sports" for 
>> example, aside from the biathlon, include activities that don't call 
>> for great strength or physical endurance, but can be very exacting, 
>> which can be demanding and exhausting in its own way.
>> 
>> Personally, I feel that calling contesting- at its most competitive 
>> and on the highest levels- "radiosport" is entirely appropriate.
>> 
>> 73,
>> Scott, N9AA
>> 
>> On 3/20/13 10:33 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
>>> Like most of us in the 'west', I was raised with the idea that a 
>>> "sport" was
>>> something that required a great deal of physical skill and endurance .
>> 
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