Amateur Radio

[InbetweenDreams]

I'd say I'm indifferent.

What's the difference? Short vs. long distance?

Most of the time CB doesn't go far. CB used to require a license, it doesn't now. What you're left with these days are basically idiots on it, using profanity and so on. This is the kind of shit I heard "splattering over" on the 10 meter band (CB operators fall on the 11 meter band).




Ham radio is different... This is a conversation (QSO) with a station in South America. Stations ID with their callsigns, exchange information, no one is over-modulating like hell with their microphones like with CB. The phonetics "Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, etc" are used to help distinguish callsigns, words, etc.




There are other things you can do with ham radio besides talk. There are digital modes, facsimile (image), etc...

Occasionally, if you're lucky you can talk to someone on the International Space Station...

*turn down your volume*









Might not be disco, or your cup of tea but it is a useful hobby. There's a few folks here who are retired electrical engineers, one who also worked for NASA (I've actually know several people who worked for NASA, although not all are ham radio operators).