I've been a ham for a very short period, but have already discovered that
the participants in this activity are very similar to photography
enthusiasts and probably most other hobbyists.
In photography there are photographers who are active in taking photos,
developing, printing, and mounting them and who are studying and striving to
learn more about their craft. Then there are equipment enthusiasts who must
always have the latest equipment, have become proficient in testing
procedures and in comparing cameras, printers, computers, etc. They rarely
photograph anything other than test cards and never take a good photograph.
Their forte is in finding fault with equipment.
I suspect that the best ham operators (whatever that means and however you
measure such a concept) don't spend much time in hand wringing, breast
beating, finger pointing, tongue clucking and ear bending about the merits
of their equipment. I'll bet they "get on with it" and spend their time
learning to operate their equipment better and to becoming better overall
operators.
These are the guys we don't hear usually from on this list in the
discussions concerning the faults of Ten Tec, the equipment, the employees,
blah blah . I'll get back under my rock now.
George Bennett
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