[Elecraft] HOA Crap

[Rick Bates, NK7I]

No!

Rent a station is NOT ham radio.  Argue all you want; but ham radio is 
about RADIO, even if it's just owning and using an HT because that's all 
you can manage.

You may as well log cell or Skype phone calls or EchoLink contacts (or 
IRLP, DMR, DStar etc) as use remote stations that are not yours; they 
have equal merit; none, zilch, nada, nil.  Only a few even have a radio 
involved; the rest is internet links; not ham radio.

EVERY entry in my log is from MY gear, a station assembled by ME 
(sometime with help building etc), a result of MY best efforts at THAT 
point in time.  It's a matter of pride and is a moral imperative to my 
standards.  Yes, it means I don't make EVERY contact or work every DX 
when I want; I have to wait for propagation, then hope I've done 
enough.  Yes, I've put money into equipment to own, use and maintain; 
not someone else's pocket to rent.  But I EARNED every log entry.

I pity you some; you've lost your compass.  Yes, you can get DXCC in an 
afternoon, moving sites to best apply propagation <<yawn>>.  It's NOT 
your station, it's not worthy of your log; it has no value, because you 
purchased your log and awards instead of investing your time and 
efforts. It's your ego being stroked by your wallet.

Ditto using remote receivers to augment your own; your station can or 
cannot; it's THAT simple.

You have ZERO emergency preparedness without a radio; one of the tenets 
of ham radio.  You can't be prepared if you don't own a radio; if the 
systems are down, you have nothing.  An HT can at least saturate the 
neighborhood to check on others around you.

If you are so HOA bound that nothing outside can grow as an antenna (has 
NEVER been totally exclusive; stealthy has a market); build a club 
station where you can; drive there to operate it and log from that.  If 
it is an emergency and there IS still access, then use the remote if you 
have nothing else.  At least own and learn to use a portable radio (KX3, 
dual band HT, SOMETHING).

Yes, I operate a station remotely; MINE.  And if done well, no one knows 
where you really are at the time of the contact.

But you won't ever sell me that not owning a radio at all and to rent 
and operate remotely is even CLOSE to being a ham.  For pity's sake, 
hand the man an HT!

Harsh, perhaps.  But it's also one reason to escape the blasted HOA 
world too to make your own decisions. HOA is an infestation, a virus 
that allows others to make choices for you, even if you don't like their 
decisions.

/rant off; hot button; this arena gets old fast/

73,
Rick NK7I
More curmudgeonly every year it seems, ain't nuttin wrong with old 
school, it's just not as popular



On 6/28/2021 8:41 PM, William Levy wrote:
> Gents,
>
> Let me remind all of you in an HOA that you don't need to put up antennas.
> You can join remote ham radio dot com and use giant antennas all from your
> website. Much better stuff than most of us ever dreamed up HOA or not.
>
> I live in NYC. I don't even have a Walkie. But I am full on remote HF
> 24/7/365.
>
> It's a great world. Think of it as a resource. It's a NETWORK resource. And
> you don't have to manage it.
>
> Bill N2WL