Some people may wonder why anyone should go to the trouble of getting a ham radio license, pay a lot of money for an HF transceiver and antenna, and mess with putting it all together just to talk to other people around the world. You can chat with people all over the world just by connecting to the internet. Yes, it certainly is easier, but if I do that then what have I proven besides that I can pay an internet bill every month and can click on an icon? Amateur radio, on the other hand, is a challenge. Not just anyone can pass the license tests, learn Morse code, know how to set up a station, and communicate on a daily basis with hams around the world. It takes some technical knowlege and skill to set up a station and keep it operating. It is also an outlet for my passion for experimenting with radio & electronics. The internet gets boring after a while.
Experimenting with different transmission modes is one way to enjoy the variety that ham radio offers. I mainly operate CW (Morse code) when on HF, but have also gotten into PSK31. In the past I have also used RTTY, AMTOR, and 300 baud packet on HF. Occasionally I'll even communicate via the 10 meter FM repeaters.
Operating QRP (low power) is another aspect of the hobby I've recently gotten involved in. The ability to communicate around the world on just a few watts intrigues me. I have been active operating QRP CW ever since I built a few QRP radios. I belong to the Four State QRP Group which is a small group of hams who live near where Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas meet and are into QRP and homebrewing. It is an unofficial club in that there are no dues, no minutes, and no agenda other than having fun with low-power radio.
I also enjoy operating a portable station from various locations. I can load up my QRP rigs and a couple antennas and operate from just about anywhere. I like to operate while camping in state parks, and I also like to find unique places to operate from. I have operated from the junction of the Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma state lines (which can be seen here) and someday plan to operate from Mout Sunflower, the highest point in Kansas.
My favorite modes:
CW
PSK31
SSTV
RTTY
Pittsburg Repeater Organization
Joplin, MO ARC
Four State QRP group page
Chanute Area Amateur Radio Club website
Parsons, KS PAARC page
QRZ! Amateur callsign lookup website
American Radio Relay League
K1DWU's Amateur Radio links
Why is it called "Ham Radio?"
