What use is an F-call?

The excitement of participating in an Amateur Radio event, be it social, educational, competitive or otherwise is something that I've not seen or experienced in any other hobby.

Every Amateur I interact with has a different history, a different bent, a different itch that they like to scratch. Some come to the hobby to design, build and use their inventions. Others come here to test their mettle against that of other Amateurs across the globe. Some come for the socialising and others for the mental agility they get from interacting with fellow enthusiasts.

I've spent a year and a half trying to share with you what Amateur Radio is all about, it's from my perspective to be sure, but I try and find ways of highlighting different aspects of this all encompassing hobby.

I've yet to put my finger on it, but there is something about Amateur Radio that other hobbies don't seem to have. Of course it's entirely possible that I've lived a sheltered life, but this crazy collection of people from all walks of life bring together something that is greater than the sum of its parts.

I know that people who are not Amateurs look at me and shake their head, even those who are do that on occasion, but what I mean is that it's hard to see how big this field of Amateur Radio really is until you dip your toe in the water and have a go at getting wet.

I spent a most enjoyable night recently talking about propagation, about the grey line, about long and short paths, about hard to get countries and more easily obtained contacts, all whilst sitting in a shack, listening to the radio, hearing people around us talk and communicate with each other.

Perhaps it's the talking that attracts me, I've never been short of a word, but I have to confess, Amateur Radio seems to make sense to me in ways that other pursuits did not.

I was going to add, If Only I met an Amateur When I was younger, but perhaps that is superfluous.

When was the last time you shared your sense of wonder with someone?

I'm Onno VK6FLAB