What use is an F-call?

In June 2011 I started a weekly net for new and returning Hams. It was born from the idea that there had to be a place where people could congregate and learn. At the time the ink on my license was barely dry and my amateur radio on-air time could be measured in minutes, rather than hours.

The net is called F-troop and in the past I’ve spoken a little about it here, how you can participate and when it’s on. For the record, it’s on from 08:00 to 09:00 every Saturday morning, Western Standard Time, or midnight UTC. Locally it’s on VK6RAP, 146.7 MHz, or via VK3JED Echolink conference or IRLP node 9558.

But that’s not what I want to talk about today. Its more about the impact of the net within Amateur Radio. As a direct result I have people contacting me via email, phone and radio and meet people face to face every week. These interactions stimulate inventions, ideas and experiments and in turn encourage new people to participate. I get regular comment about people listening in on the side and learning; we regularly have people use the net for their very first QSO. It’s become a magnet for interest and variety.

I’m telling you this because this was all very unexpected. The side effects of creating a place where people can congregate with similar interests far exceed those of the one hour that F-troop represents.

You can participate in F-troop as it stands, or you can do your own thing, start up your own little group of adventurers. Joining a club is one way of interacting, starting a discussion group, or planning a camp-out, or a BBQ, or any such activity, is another way of getting in touch with other Amateurs.

When I started F-troop, I knew nothing about Amateur Radio. Today, I know a little more and it’s because I went out to the community and talked to them. There is no rule book that you have to follow, no-one you need to ask for permission to have an idea. If you have an interest, get out and talk to someone. Don’t be afraid to look like a goose - I do it every day.

I’m Onno VK6FLAB