[Westside]

What do you like to do in your spare time. Obviously, Bluegrass Rivals is one of them but what are some of your other hobbies?

[Westside]

I love to read books on Colonial America and early U.S. history. When I was younger I enjoyed powerlifting but havent't competed since 2002 and have no desire to do so again. I need to find a hobby that will keep me physically active. I've thought about trying golf, but I'm 45 years-old and have only played 2 and 1/2 holes in my life. I don't know if this old dog can learn a new trick.

[LeeCoUKFan]

I feel like my hobbies are almost non existent now that I am in a supervisor position at work. Now work is life.

Before that, BGR was a big time hobby of mine, I'd spend countless hours on here every week.

Another big hobby was my website and podcast series I had going with a friend of mine. We got an opportunity to do a podcast with EKU's punter Keith Wrzuszczak, which was really cool because he was from Australia. Also, we did a show with Miami Marlins shortstop JT Riddle.

[Spud6]

Golf is my big one. Do it two or three times a week during the golfing season.

Another one that I have gotten into here lately is photography.

[jetpilot]

Women, alcohol and gambling.
Then I read books.

:biggrin:

[jetpilot]

Of course I'm joking. Gave up everything except books. Traded gambling for gaming lol.

[Granny Bear]

I read a lot, too. I like the true crime, serial killers stuff.

I have a sick mind!

[Hoot Gibson]

Ham radio. I was first licensed about 25 years ago but never became active and let my license expire. Then a couple of months ago, I passed by Technician and General license exams. I have been busy putting together my "shack," but I am planning to operate mostly portable, with a battery operated transceiver and a "go bag." I thought ham radio was on the decline, but there are more than 700,000 licensed operators in the U.S., which is the biggest number ever.

I also read quite a bit of non-fiction, and listen to a lot of sci-fi via streaming Audible books in the car,

[Westside]

Ham radio. I was first licensed about 25 years ago but never became active and let my license expire. Then a couple of months ago, I passed by Technician and General license exams. I have been busy putting together my "shack," but I am planning to operate mostly portable, with a battery operated transceiver and a "go bag." I thought ham radio was on the decline, but there are more than 700,000 licensed operators in the U.S., which is the biggest number ever.

I also read quite a bit of non-fiction, and listen to a lot of sci-fi via streaming Audible books in the car,

I had a class in high school that was taught by a teacher who was into the whole ham radio thing. We spent most of a semester prepping for the ham radio test or at least we were supposed to be prepping. I along with with about six other football players were in the class. We spent more time throwing pennies at each other, arm wrestling, playing table top paper football, etc than paying attention to the lessons. The first test was covering the Morris Code. The two gentlemen that he brought to administer the test started sending out codes. I started randomly writing down letters. I didn't know he was actually sending sentences. When they started grading my test, they just shook their heads for a few seconds and went on to the other tests. If I remember correcting, only a couple people passed the test.

[Hoot Gibson]

I had a class in high school that was taught by a teacher who was into the whole ham radio thing. We spent most of a semester prepping for the ham radio test or at least we were supposed to be prepping. I along with with about six other football players were in the class. We spent more time throwing pennies at each other, arm wrestling, playing table top paper football, etc than paying attention to the lessons. The first test was covering the Morris Code. The two gentlemen that he brought to administer the test started sending out codes. I started randomly writing down letters. I didn't know he was actually sending sentences. When they started grading my test, they just iook their heads for a few seconds and went on to the other tests. If I remember correcting, only a couple people passed the test.

They did away with the code requirement years ago. There are still a lot of Morse code operators on the air, but a lot of people are pairing computers with their radios to use "digital modes." I have a 0.2 watt beacon transmitter that can be heard around the world with a good antenna set up. I have had some trouble getting my laptop configured with my 100 watt transceiver to use digital modes, but that is my main interest for now. I can operate on battery power at 5 watts for several hours.

[Jarons]

What is ham radio?

[Hoot Gibson]

What is ham radio?

What is ham radio? There is no good short answer because are so many different branches of the hobby. I like tinkering with antennas and digital modes, which use very little power to communicate over thousands of miles.

I am wanting to combine hiking with ham radio, and there two large groups of ham radio operators that specialize in operating from parks and mountain peaks (Parks on the Air and Summits on the Air).

Amateur radio operators have their own constellation of communications satellites. You can use a hand held radio and antenna to talk to the astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Most astronauts are licensed amateur radio operators and regularly communicate with ham radio operators on the ground.

In this area, there are many local ham radio clubs that are very active. The Vienna Wireless Society just celebrated its 55th anniversary. Their meetings are usually attended by 35 or 40 members.

[Westside]

They did away with the code requirement years ago. There are still a lot of Morse code operators on the air, but a lot of people are pairing computers with their radios to use "digital modes." I have a 0.2 watt beacon transmitter that can be heard around the world with a good antenna set up. I have had some trouble getting my laptop configured with my 100 watt transceiver to use digital modes, but that is my main interest for now. I can operate on battery power at 5 watts for several hours.

I took the test in 1988 or 1989.

[Westside]

Ham radio operators were very important during natural disasters when other forms of communication were not possible or at least I was told.

[Granny Bear]

What is ham radio? There is no good short answer because are so many different branches of the hobby. I like tinkering with antennas and digital modes, which use very little power to communicate over thousands of miles.

I am wanting to combine hiking with ham radio, and there two large groups of ham radio operators that specialize in operating from parks and mountain peaks (Parks on the Air and Summits on the Air).

Amateur radio operators have their own constellation of communications satellites. You can use a hand held radio and antenna to talk to the astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Most astronauts are licensed amateur radio operators and regularly communicate with ham radio operators on the ground.

In this area, there are many local ham radio clubs that are very active. The Vienna Wireless Society just celebrated its 55th anniversary. Their meetings are usually attended by 35 or 40 members.

I had no idea! Wow!! Just wow!!!

[Wildcatk23]

Fishing, Basketball, Fortnite, All other time is consumed by work and my wonderful 2 year old.

[plantmanky]

Dont have hobbies, my unpaid job gets in the way.

[Hoot Gibson]

I ordered a new tripod and antenna loading coil yesterday from a very small company in Wisconsin named Wolf River Coils. I just received confirmation that my order has been shipped and will arrive on Monday. It is always nice when I can order from a small American company and get a great product fast.

I also ordered and received a small kit to make an accessory for one of my radios from a company named SOTABeams in Manchester, England last week, I was not expecting the kit to arrive for at least another week or two.

It has become almost impossible to buy electronics that are not made in China. One good thing about that is that the customer service offered by many companies that are competing with cheap Chinese products (usually of inferior quality) has drastically improved.

The guys in Wisconsin and the English company are very small but recognized around the world for their quality and customer support.

It's a topic for another thread, but I think that 3D printers will eventually become very common in American homes and will cut our trade deficit with China. The things that you can make with a 3D printer is becoming more amazing every day and one of the things that you can make with one is another 3D printer. I plan on getting one in the next few months. 3D printing will soon be another hobby of mine.

[Westside]

I ordered a new tripod and antenna loading coil yesterday from a very small company in Wisconsin named Wolf River Coils. I just received confirmation that my order has been shipped and will arrive on Monday. It is always nice when I can order from a small American company and get a great product fast.

I also ordered and received a small kit to make an accessory for one of my radios from a company named SOTABeams in Manchester, England last week, I was not expecting the kit to arrive for at least another week or two.

It has become almost impossible to buy electronics that are not made in China. One good thing about that is that the customer service offered by many companies that are competing with cheap Chinese products (usually of inferior quality) has drastically improved.

The guys in Wisconsin and the English company are very small but recognized around the world for their quality and customer support.

It's a topic for another thread, but I think that 3D printers will eventually become very common in American homes and will cut our trade deficit with China. The things that you can make with a 3D printer is becoming more amazing every day and one of the things that you can make with one is another 3D printer. I plan on getting one in the next few months. 3D printing will soon be another hobby of mine.

How much do 3-D printers typically cost?

[Hoot Gibson]

How much do 3-D printers typically cost?

I have seen them listed on Amazon for as little as $150, but a more typical cost is in the $300-500 range at the bottom end to $$thousands for a high end model. What has impressed me lately has been the improvement in the design software.

Here is an example of a ham radio operator designing and printing a threaded induction coil form. He uses a free design program called TinkerCad, which was created by Autodesk. This is the easiest 3D modeling application that I have ever seen.

[Hound05]

This hobby is weather permitting, but I love flying my drone. I have a DJI brand and love taking pictures of the mountains and landscapes around here. I also do houses for realtors here and there but it’s not my favorite. The only bad thing is when you get into the more expensive models like I have you can’t fly if it’s even sprinkling or before 40. So the snow on the mountains is a hard pic to get!

[Hound05]

Women, alcohol and gambling.
Then I read books.

:biggrin:

So you’re saying you’re broke? Haha.

[Spirit100]

Photography and football...

Used to be fishing, hunting, and golf...before i got married!!!nicker: