New Years Resolutions and Ham Radio

The New Year has arrived and just in time. As ham operators formulate their New Years resolutions and continue to adjust whatever goodies Santa dropped off last week, it is appropriate to look ahead to the factors that may figure into 2012.

While we are six months away from the 2012 Hurricane Season, it is still a good idea to make preparations now without the stress of a fast approaching deadline. If you are thinking of building an NVIS antenna for use in an emergency, now is the time to build it and test it out at a leisurely pace. With the cooler temperatures presently upon us, it is much easier to work outside without the risk of sunstroke. Similarly, if you have been putting off checking the antennas on your tower or tilting down that mast to repair or maintain, it will be much more comfortable at 70 degrees than it will be in July at 103.

Another aspect of Amateur Radio that comes into focus now is hamfest season. Up North, hamfests usually occur in the summer. Down here in Florida, they start in November and continue all through the winter months until late May. In addition, the second biggest Hamfest in North America is in Orlando in early February. Vendors and manufacturers flock to this event at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. If you have your pennies saved up, Orlando is a great hamfest to find what you need or want whatever your mode or area of interest.

Speaking of comfort, as I did a paragraph or so before, now is a perfect time to get out and do a little “Ham Radio Alfresco." There are so many parks and beaches in Florida that if you can’t find a place to throw a little wire in a tree and operate with low power off a battery, you aren’t looking hard enough. Your “portable” station can be anything from a QRP homebrew single band rig to one of the big three’s latest 100 watt wonder radios that do everything from DC to Daylight. Just turn the power down so the battery lasts more than 10 minutes and you too can get a tan while adding another few DX entities to your log book.

Those New Years resolutions can be accomplished now too. If you are thinking about trying to upgrade your license, now is the time to start studying. If your storage shed has a ton of old radio stuff in it, get busy and drag it all out into the sunlight and sort it out or throw it out. If you find you have a working radio or accessory that you do not need any more, consider donating it to your local Amateur Radio Emergency Services group. They may be able to use it as is, or they may be able to sell it and gain a few dollars towards the maintenance costs of their response unit. All that radio, gear and antenna masts is a significant cost to most ARES groups and since they do not charge membership dues, few have anything more than a really bare-bones budget. A donation of radio gear or funds will greatly improve their ability to respond quickly when the 2012 Hurricane Season arrives. If you have put off joining your local ARES group, now is the time to do it. There is some training to be accomplished, it is free, and online for the FEMA mandated courses, and there is plenty of time if one starts now to get adjusted to the local group’s training regimen. Make no mistake, while amateur radio is an “amateur” service, the responders from ARES are as professional as they come. Joining this group will not only assist your community, but also crank up your skill level in all areas of “amateur radio."