[HCRA] Fw: KB6NU's Column for April 2012

[Larry - WB1DBY]

> Here's my column for April 2012.  I hope you like it.......73, Dan KB6NU
>
>
> Mailing lists, blogs, and podcasts are good sources of ham info
>
> Whether you're a newcomer or an old-timer, the Internet is possibly the 
> best way to learn as much as you can about amateur radio. On the Internet, 
> you'll find many, many ham radio mailing lists, podcasts, and videos. In 
> essence, these resources give you access to hundreds, if not thousands, of 
> Elmers.
>
> One mailing list that I always suggest to new hams is the 
> HamRadioHelpGroup (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HamRadioHelpGroup). The 
> purpose of this group is to help "those who are interested in getting 
> started in Amateur Radio or upgrading their license." This mailing list 
> has a good mix of beginners and experts, and most questions are answered 
> quickly and correctly. One thing that I really like about this group is 
> that the moderators do a good job of keeping the discussions on track, and 
> will squelch them when they stray off topic or threaten to turn into flame 
> wars.
>
> In addition to the HamRadioHelpGroup, you might also want to join a more 
> targeted mailing list. For example, if you’re interested in learning Morse 
> Code (hint, hint), you might join the SolidCpyCW list 
> (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SolidCpyCW/). If you just bought a Yaesu 
> FT-60 hand-held transceiver, you might want to join the FT-60 list 
> (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FT-60/). Chances are that no matter what 
> your interest, there’s probably a mailing list to discuss that interest.
>
> I’m subscribed to a lot of amateur radio mailing lists and could probably 
> spend most of my day just reading and replying to them. In order to get 
> the most out of them, without them taking away from my on-air time, I only 
> read those threads that I am really interested in, and even then, I quit 
> reading them once they have started to drift off-topic. I also 
> un-subscribe myself from lists that cover topics that I’m no longer 
> interested in.
>
> Blogs, podcasts and videos
> In addition to getting on a few mailing lists, you might want to read a 
> few blogs and subscribe to podcasts. These are also great sources of 
> information about amateur radio. I blog about amateur radio at 
> www.kb6nu.com, and lots of hams find it a good source of information. You 
> can find a list of other ham radio blogs that I’d recommend on my home 
> page.
>
> Podcasts are also a good source of information. One podcast that you might 
> want to check out is the Practical Amateur Radio Podcast 
> (http://www.myamateurradio.com). Since 2008, Jerry, KD0BIK, has been 
> producing PARP, and currently has more than 50 different episodes online. 
> For other podcasts, consult the list on Jerry’s home page.
>
> Finally, there are literally thousands of amateur radio videos on the net. 
> On YouTube alone, there are approximately 32,000 of them. The American 
> Radio Relay League has its own channel 
> (http://www.youtube.com/user/ARRLHQ), but perhaps the most popular amateur 
> radio video channel is the K7AGE channel 
> (http://www.youtube.com/user/K7AGE). K7AGE has more than 6,200 subscribers 
> and his videos have garnered more than 2.1 million views!
>
> Whatever source or sources of information you select, remember to not let 
> them take up too much of your time. Ham radio is about more than just 
> reading, listening, or watching. It’s about doing!
>
> ==============================
>
> When he's not answering yet another e-mail, Dan blogs about ham radio at 
> www.kb6nu.com, teaches ham classes, and ragchews on 30m and 40m CW. You 
> can e-mail him with comments or questions at cwgeek at kb6nu.com.
>
> ###