This is ridiculous! Why is anyone pissing and moaning about feeling ignored, or anything else having to do with an internet BBS? GET ON THE AIR.
Let me add a few observations of my own: First, if there's interference on a frequency, MOVE! What happened to all of the excitement of the 'new phone spectrum' on 80 and 40? I've worked a number of folks below 3800 who exclaimed how excited they were, how nice and quiet it is 'down there' and so on, only to never hear them again. I understand that some folks are running rigs that aren't "frequency agile". Somehow, I doubt that this represents the majority. TUNE YOUR VFO! CALL CQ! Don't wait around for someone else to do it for you. Get on earlier, don't wait until the frequencies are busy with SSB. Second, considering the issues the AM community has had with representation (or lack thereof) both on the bands and off, *why* would you want to split the focus and have several groups to watch, maintain, and whatever else? It seems pretty pointless, more of an issue of ego than practicality. AMfone is an excellent resource, with a lot of helpful information and documentation. IMHO, far too many people are using it as a substitute for getting on the air. Maybe this is a bigger part of the real issue? Third, I understand and agree with comments made by Geoff and others about some of the idiotic behavior that goes on in the northeast on 75. It goes on elsewhere as well. To me, it's even more of a reason to use the frequencies below 3800. I don't excuse it, nor do I condone it, and at times it makes me anxious to move south. Yet what do I have to look forward to there in 4 Land? From actual accounts by folks here on the list (maybe not word-for-word, but close) as well as comments on the air, 'the SSBers won't let us run AM down here, except on 3.885.' Who's fault is that?? Add to this the number of folks who aren't on at night, or don't bother at all - how much better or different is it there, or out in 6 Land where the SSB ops from 5 Land jam them? The only reason the lids stick out here in the northeast is the lack of 'decent, congenial folks' getting on the air as an alternative. The phone expansion was a clear example, short-lived as it was. You can't blame the lids for that - at least they're on the air regularly. Same goes for the SSB crowd. Don't like it? Get on the air and do something about it! Don't wait for others to do it for you. Or do we really need "A NET" as a reason to get on? Lame. Other than the AMI net in 4 Land or the Collins AM net, I hear VERY FEW on down there with any regularity. 'KYV, 'AMI, RHK and a few others like Jim. Put yourselves in a box, suffer the consequences. Fourth, Jim - I like you, you're a very good guy, decent sort, and so on. I've worked you on the air, most distant contact I had made to that point. I've responded to your posts and comments in the past many times, here and on amfone. The post you're referring to doesn't seem to have a whole lot to respond to, with respect to the joke itself, radio, or anything else. I read it, checked the links, what more was there to add? I've made posts on there that got plenty of reads and few or no responses. I didn't take it personally, I really wish you wouldn't either. It's an internet site, meant to supplement our on-air AM activities. I haven't had time to check, but I suspect any posts you've made asking technical questions received good answers. Just a guess here, but perhaps folks should *participate* more and complain less, if they want to improve things? We can play the ego-oriented 'my turf, your turf' games, but it won't do any of is a bit of good in the long run. More specifically, I think we need to focus LESS on the internet and MORE on getting on the air. I've been on many nights calling CQ down below 3800 with little or no response. Be part of the solution, not yet another one in the crowd who complains about the state of things, but does nothing to change it. If you don't like what you hear on a specific frequency, go start a new QSO elsewhere. Or stay in a rut, stay off the air, feel sorry for yourselves, stay on the internet and wonder why activity suffers for it. We alone create most of the problems of the AM community with our attitudes and practices. We alone can change it. It just depends how important it is to us. Very few seem willing to make the needed changes. Of those who are active, most prefer clinging to old, failed methods and frequencies instead of moving forward. Is it any wonder that things are the way they are? I have a blown mod transformer now, so I can't contribute much on the air. But night after night, the number carrying the torch seems to be few, compared to those seen on here. ~ Todd, KA1KAQ ______________________________________________________________ AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
