SQUIRREL CLUES
CLUE #1
CW dropped from licenser to infuse new hams into hobby.
This was because we needed to change how we look at amateur radio. We could keep things as they were and watch the hobby slowly go away to be replaced by next best smartphone or computer program. If the stuff hits the canoe and we are up the creek without a fan it will be nice to have a lot of people that can relay messages in simplex. Whether it is to help the dispatch of emergency services or to just tell family members that you are okay. Just because you get ticket doesn’t mean you can only talk on the repeater. Far from it. You have joined a unique family. Anywhere in world or even in space you can have someone to talk to and after all it is so much fun as well.
CLUE #2
Fox hunts
Sounds like an old English past time for the rich, except no dogs are needed. Just like ham radio has nothing to do with a food product that you put on a sandwich, ham radio fox hunting has nothing to do with rich folks chasing animals. The term Fox Hunting is one that ham radio operators use to describe a fun activity involving locating a hidden transmitter and gaining bragging rights or sometimes even a trophy. This is one of the many fun things that ham radio operators can do that can even involve family members that are not licensed. This activity is not only a fun thing but allows one to become proficient in locating someone in distress while hiking, a downed aircraft ELT transmitter, or simply a way to see if you can make contact with a fellow ham in the absence of a repeater. A very popular way to hone your skills at doing this is to listen to the input frequency of the repeater when in conversation with others and be able to do it effortlessly and quickly. Over time you will establish the limits of your ability to communicate in an emergency without help from repeaters. Final thought is that it could in fact help in saving someone's life by establishing their location in order to send help. There are other ways to hone this skill but Fox Hunting is so much fun, so why not do it this way. So find the repeater input button on your radio and push it often !
CLUE #3
Some of the many things to do after you get your license
Train for handling emergency trafic
Lunch bunch activity
Attending Hamfests
Meet new friends you didn’t know you have.
See a lot of the family you have since you got your ticket. See everything from Vintage radios to the newest radios and gear.
Breakfast meetings to enhance fellowship in the hobby
Small group of amateur radio operators with a lot experience and knowledge.
Fellowship with like minded friends and gain insight into the many facets of the hobby
Field day participation to gain knowledge or how to operate under less than ideal conditions
Learn how to operate in an environment off the grid and learn how to put up temporary antennas and learn about modes you won’t see othe places.
Clubs
Like RACK and other clubs a regular meeting with discussions about ham radio guest speakers .
POTA SOTA events and activations
Fun event to hone operating skills and establish your equipment limitations.
Fox hunts - Fun event but also hones your skills to help locating signals like small plane ELTs and others.
You don’t have to be involved in any of these activities or you can jump in with your new family and learn.
Plus it is so much fun!
The rules are that the newest license holder that can email me at my address listed on QRZ with the list of clues and what they have in common will win. Second and third place winners will be drawn from the rest of the entries at random for their choice of my stinky old antique Yaesu VX-2 or a new ........
That will be local pickup only.
The Secret squirrel never said they were ALL used!