What Is The Point Of Amateur (Ham) Radio? Hobby Or Service?

Excerpt from the 12/10/2022 HRCC After Chat.

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[Levyo]

When someone asks why they should become a ham, I like to tell them something along the lines of "it can either be as simple as badass walkie talkies that can talk for hundreds of miles, or you can go deep down the rabbit hole and basically become a communications engineer" to illustrate how simple or complex it can be.

[garyclark]

10 years ago, I had just begun to explore digital modes. At the time PSK31 was popular and I managed
to make a contact with a Ham in Washington State. I found out his favorite Mode was Mores code,
but over the years he had lost a lot of his hearing and figured his Ham radio days were over. A friend
introduced him to PSK31. That changed everything for him. The contact lasted a 1/2 hour.
When I first got my license, I was invited to a club picnic. There I met a man who was an avid CW
operator, but due to arthritis in his hands he could no longer operate a key. So, with some help from
a friend he took a cardboard paper towel tube and stretched a balloon over the end and attached a wire
on a little piece of metal and glued it to the balloon. Then he took a strip of metal connected a wire to it
and attached it to the tube and positioned it over the balloon. He would plug it into the key jack, cup it
between both hands and puff the mores code on the open end. Hams find ways to adapt to all kinds of
situations and condition. The creativeness of fellow Hams is what keeps me interested and inspires me
to try new things. You Inspire me Josh with your videos, keep on making them. Gary KF6EWO

[kenrangen]

Amateur Radio is *now* a hobby. If it were a service, then the licensing would be free.

Amateur Radio is now in the same class as GMRS licensing, other than the required testing.

[DonzLockz]

My wife and friends still think I'm weird!🤪

[davidwilcox]

It’s a hobby. There are those that use it as a public service, but for most it’s a hobby. Something that helps us get away or forget the problems of life and the world. A diversion.

[winstonsmith]

"Hobby Or Service?" Obviously BOTH. The frequencies allocated to it are justified by the emergency communications service it can provide. When there is no emergency to handle, hams spend money and participate in it as a hobby. Sitting around just waiting for an emergency and spending money on that wouldn't be very popular.

[jctedsap]

I had an Uncle that made it his life. Advanced to be top Motorola salesman for West Coast as well as flying R-cats and R-kittys (now called drones) for the Airforce. Later started and ran Telewave corporation building antennas, splitters, combiners and isolation cavaties. I got to talk radio with him a few times but not nearly enough.

[ADDMDennis]

Great discussion, and it's true, we can't just distill hamradio into a succinct purpose. It's lots of things to lots of people, and to some it's just a way to jibberjabber without getting too deep. One thing I'm glad about, though, is how we've all come together under this hobby and enjoy the common interest.

[DarkShadowCustoms]

It is a combination of hobby and service. Some people just talk on the local repeaters, others engage in contesting or other award programs, and some also participate in emergency preparedness activities with SKYWARN, ARES, and/or, RACES. Some operators also volunteer to help with communications for local events such as parades, bicycle races, foot races, etc. There really is no simple answer to this question since some people only get their license to chat on local repeaters, while others get their license as an emergency preparedness tool.

[jesswu]

I will definitely go get one ham license in the future just to be cool around friends..

[frankwco]

It's a technical hobby that has a lot of science and math - which is super cool.

[thomasr.jackson]

Good approach to this unnecessarily contentious issue. Ham radio is a service. It is a service provided by the FCC. Why individuals decide to use the service is a personal choice. Part 97 section 1 spells out why the FCC provides the service and this what guides the rest of the rule making. We should collectively heed what the FCC wants because it helps keep the service strong, but individually, we all come for our own reasons. You list some good ones.

[BartVanAllen]

to me the answer is "yes" -
Hobby came first, but service has taken the larger aspect until recently when I cannot do as much in that theater.
They share the blame -err, I meant praise for getting and keeping me in the ranks
Actually, it should be a plural, there are many hobbies in amateur radio that combine to make a fulfilling hobby. From solar science to electronics to computer tech to antenna concepts and so on - very fulfilling hobby (set of hobbies)

[Servant_of_Christ]

I rebuilt my sailboat to a live-aboard bugout survival pod that can stay out at sea self-sufficient for up to 10 years if needed. In a SHTF scenario would a HAM radio be relevant on a sailboat, would it work? And is there an antenna that can be hoisted in the mast for greater reach?

[vvatc]

2:42 i like the wizard of oz...i like the tin man

[edgardoramos]

So true about Puerto Rico, since them, the amount of GMRS and HAM Radio Repeaters sky rocket!!

[christophersmith]

if it wsnt for amature radioi, there wouldnt be cell sites/ repeaters or cell phones, texting. we were doing these things in the 1970s

[parallx]

map with the pink lines is very cool. what software does that?

[kemattj]

What? I thought the point of ham radio was to listen to a bunch of OM's talk about their rigs and set-ups, how ft8 and other digital modes are ruining ham radio, and their recent prostate exam and colonoscopies.

[chrisgaeth]

It's simple, everything is a signal.