Longmont Amateur Radio Club - Colorado

HAM(s) do not live by breakfast alone

10 July 2007

Thor Heyerdahl writes of a failed QSO with a Colorado Ham, after the Kon-Tiki ran aground on the island of Raroia and he was seeking help:

“Then Torstein sent out a CQ message: that is to say, he called all stations in the world which could hear us on our special amateur wave length.That was of some use. Now a faint voice (CW) out in the ether began to call us slowly. We called again and said that we heard him. Then the slow voice out in the ether said: ‘My name is Paul – I live in Colorado. What is your name and where do you live?’This was a radio amateur. Torstein seized the key, while we turned the (generator) handle, and replied:‘This is the Kon-Tiki. We are stranded on a desert island in the Pacific.’Paul did not believe this message. He thought it was a radio amateur in the next street pulling his leg, and he did not come on the air again.” “Kon-Tiki”, by Thor Heyerdahl, Rand McNally, 10^th printing, June, 1951

Unfortunate for this Colorado Ham, he missed a unique opportunity. What could have become a life-long acquaintance with Thor Heyerdahl and the crew of the famous Kon-Tiki, came to nothing.

Perhaps this Colorado Ham was too wrapped up in things local? Was he on good terms or was he constantly on guard for the oft times malicious barbs of that Ham on the next street. Was he concerned about what that Ham might succeed in spreading throughout the local Ham community? Was he simply so clouded by local goings on that he could not “see” the opportunity in front of him?

Unlike many other organizations bound together by ideology or a common cause, Hams can only loosely find common ground based on an interest in Amateur Radio. But, the range of topics is broad. There are those who are proponents of Emergency Communications, others want to build things, others are contesters while another group is after rare DX and the list goes on. Sharing and exposing others to these unique interests is a key point of LARC membership. To that end, LARC presents a wide range of topics that should appeal to a very broad set of amateur radio interests. In addition to learning, there are many service opportunities.

Of course there are some, due to circumstances (job, family,…)who may only be able to participate in a small segment of what LARC has to offer. I would encourage you to pay your dues and participate in whatever you can, until things change.

Unfortunately, there are some who simply want to tell others what to do. At one time we had a member who felt that current members needed to be FORCED into “doing their part”. Unfortunately, this will never work and simply results in hard feelings.

I’ll not try to enumerate the reasons that people become disillusioned with a club. But a common reason is that they have been offended. It seems that Hams are too easily offended. This immediately results in cutting off communications (as did the Colorado Ham with Thor Heyerdahl which is a bit ironic considering Amateur Radio is all about communications – don’t you think)?

Those who are offended and those who have given offense must reconsider. But, “Bury the hatchet” does not mean – in the back of the other guys skull. Let’s be quick to say “I’m Sorry”, be forgiving and keep communications open.

The story goes that one cold winter day a Pastor stopped in on one of his parishioner who had not been to services in a while. The man invited the Pastor in. But, he knew why he had come. In this uneasy situation, not much was said as the two of them sat before the warm fire in the hearth. Then suddenly, the Minister rose, grabbed the tongues and pulled a red hot coal from the burning flames and set it out to the side. Only the crackling fire was heard as together, they watched that little coal go from red to black, then out. Finally, the man said, “I get the message Pastor. I’ll be there next Sunday. “

I would invite every Ham in the community to get “red hot” about LARC. Be humble enough to put aside whatever it is, come out and make Amateur Radio grow. There is a lot of good that we can do together. Amateur Radio can make a big difference in our community.

Unlike the Colorado Ham who missed his chance with Thor Heyerdahl, may we seize every opportunity to build our hobby and not fail to see - having our “eyes wide shut”.

Ray (W9LQM – LARC President, 2005 – 2007)