[SFDXA] KB6NU's column for September 2014

[Bill]

Hi, folks--

Here's my September column.

73, Dan

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Twitter: another tool in the ham radio toolbox

By Dan Romanchik, KB6NU

It all starts innocently enough. You get a computer to do your logging, and before you know it, you're working digital modes. Then, you snake an Ethernet cable down to the shack or connect to your wireless router. Pretty soon, you can't do without having a browser window open to one of the DX clusters or ReverseBeacon.Net or QRZ.Com or all three simultaneously.

Well, now's there another Internet service that I can't do without down in the shack: Twitter! I get on Twitter all the time now when I'm in the shack, and I love it. It's truly enhanced my amateur radio experience.

One of the ways it's done this is by bringing me all kinds of interesting technical information. I not only follow @hackaday and @DIYEngineering, and @EDN.Com, but a bunch of hams who are doing fun things. I hate to list some, for fear of leaving some out, but I will give a shout out to @NT7S, @AA7EE, @mightyohm, @caulktel, @LA3ZA. There's even @HiramPMaxim (the P stands for "parody"). If you go to my blog at KB6NU.Com and search for "From my Twitter feed," you'll find links to some of the most interesting Tweets that have found their way to me.

I'm also following a couple of amateur radio retailers. Today, for example, @DXEngineering is offering $55 off the RigExpert AA-54 Antenna Analyzer.

I also use it to get information about weather conditions and band conditions. For example, I follow @edvielmetti, who is KD8OQG. He's always tweeting about local severe weather. A Tweet from him gets me to turn on my 2m radio to monitor the local SkyWarn net.

As far as band conditions go, I throw out a Tweet, asking about band conditions, and in seconds, I'll get reports from my followers here in the U.S. and around the world. I try to do my part as well. When I fire up the rig, I'll Tweet out a report of how the bands seem to me.

While all of this is great, it's really all about the people. I currently have more 2,200 followers and I follow more than 900. I would never have met some of these hams if it wasn't for Twitter, and I have since worked several of them on the air after first meeting them on Twitter. Last May, we had a "Tweetup" at the Dayton Hamvention. There were at least 20 of us there. How cool is that?

Twitter isn't for everyone, but I'd encourage you to give it a try. I'm having a lot of fun on Twitter, and I think you will, too. If you do set up a Twitter account, please follow me, @kb6nu. If you mention that you read this column, I'll be sure to follow you back.

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When not Tweeting about his latest amateur radio exploits, you'll find KB6NU working 30m CW or teaching ham radio classes. If Twitter isn't  your thing, you can still follow him by reading his blog at www.kb6nu.com.

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