ARLA/CLUSTER: K1RX - Uma rede social que apoia e incentiva a sua radio local

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

Locals keep ham radio alive and well

In a time when social media platforms are often criticized more for
their divisiveness than praised for their ability to bring people
together, a number of Seacoast residents are tapping into a different
network to forge connections worldwide

Kyle Stucker of Edge Radio writes:

Local interest in ham radios has been growing at an accelerated rate
in recent years thanks to lower entry hurdles, according to clubs and
operators. They say it’s put new generations one twist of a dial or
tap of a touchscreen away from the rush that comes from a meaningful
chat with people on the other side of the globe.

“It crosses all barriers of careers, of families, of different social
environments, of different cultures,” said Rochester resident Mark
Pride.

Pride is a longtime ham and retired communications engineer who like
other operators goes by his unique alphanumeric radio call sign, K1RX.

“You have just a tremendous bond with these people,” he said. “You run
into these people years later — I mean 40 years later — and you just
pick right up from where you were. It’s just fabulous.”

And they say it’s not hard to strike up a conversation for the first time.

“There’s not a night that goes by that you can’t hop onto one of the
bands and guys are talking to the same guys every night,” said Neil
Collesidis (AA1SB), an Exeter resident who has been a licensed
operator since 1966. “After a while, you can’t stop us from talking.
We all have that same disease.”

Local hams say the hobby is more accessible than ever thanks to
lower-priced handheld radios, computer and smartphone radio apps that
route signals through the internet, and portable antenna systems.
Those things also expand overall communication capabilities for the
diehards who have extensive professional equipment in their homes,
like Pride’s elaborate multi-radio and multi-antenna rig.

Read the full story at
https://www.fosters.com/news/20190406/locals-keep-ham-radio-alive-and-well