Civility on the air

[K3MRI]

As many of you know, Ham Census has been gathering impressions from operators... what do we think about various aspects of the hobby. More importantly, being solutions-oriented, Ham Census asks them to send a message to various constituencies, among them, other hams.

One operator said this:

Quote

This is a great hobby with great potential to teach. Civility both on-air and off-air. Set the right example that will encourage non-amateurs to get onboard.

I would therefore like to both start a mini poll here and a discussion around civility in amateur radio. Also, if you believe there is a lack of civility, how do we improve things?

[AG7HH]

I don't do much HF work, so my comment is based on local chatter both simplex and on repeaters, but in my area the conversation is general good natured and friendly. Being human disagreements can and do occur, but those are few and far between in my area (Salem Oregon). Once you get to know a group you can also learn who the "know it all's" are, or someone who might be easily triggered, and take steps to not push their buttons.

Now that said I did have an opportunity to listen to a repeater in LA a couple times, and that was a totally experience, and not one I would want top have to live with. It seemed there were a lot of people on the repeater who felt it was their sole purpose to insult and offend as many as they could with little regard for operating standards. 

So I guess my feeling is the level if civility depends a great deal on where you're located and the group of hams in that area, at least for the UHF/VHF bands.

Mark
AG7HH

[K3MRI]

Hi Mark.

First, welcome to our small (but growing) community.

Second, good points you make about vhf/uhf. It’s true that my initial thinking was about HF where, unfortunately, there seems to be ‘anger creep’. And maybe worse than anger, there is also ‘entitlement creep’ whereby many old-timers, my age group, assume that they have an inherited right to certain frequencies or times of day.

As for the LA VHF/UHF example. Interesting, I had not thought of that when creating the post, but it makes sense. I admit that in my region, our repeaters are always civil. Our worst problem is the lack of protocol, as in people cutting each other off or people rambling for well over the accepted three minute rule.

I’ll get my first taste of big city repeaters soon though. I’ll be traveling to NYC… I’ll report back.

Again, welcome.

[W3ESX]

I have never in my entire ham career encountered anyone being anything other than perfectly pleasant on the air...until I got into digital modes, specifically C4FM.

The other day I was on Americalink late at night and I heard two hams using very nasty language (not profanity, but slurs) to describe the current POTUS and the Coronavirus situation. I was very disappointed, because even though it was late, there could be kids listening. I didn't want to hear that crap, so I switched my HT off.

I'm guessing the ease by which folks can make long-distance QSOs on the digital modes encourages this kind of behavior. Which is sad.

I'm not a confrontational person, so I didn't call them on it. But if it happens again, I just might. There is just no room for that kind of behavior in this hobby, IMO.

[KD3Y]

I'm not understanding the correlation between digital modes and racism.  Didn't we have racist hams back when analog was the only mode of radio?

One net I frequent on 40, the OMIK net, was formed in in the 50's so that black hams could find places of lodging and places to eat while they were traveling.  At that time black hams weren't welcome in white ham radio nets, and they couldn't eat or lodge in most "white only" establishements in the south.

Me thinks racism in ham radio happened way before the advent of digital modes, Brother.  If fact, I stumbled on some "gentlemen" on 40 meters (analog) the other day from Georgia who were doing the same thing you described.  They used every slur but the "N" word in their conversation.  I didn't call them on it either because I didnt want my call sign associated with such a group. 

I'm glad at least most of us moved on from that embarassing time in American history. 

~KD3Y

[K3MRI]

15 hours ago, KD3Y said:

I'm not understanding the correlation between digital modes and racism.  Didn't we have racist hams back when analog was the only mode of radio?

One net I frequent on 40, the OMIK net, was formed in in the 50's so that black hams could find places of lodging and places to eat while they were traveling.  At that time black hams weren't welcome in white ham radio nets, and they couldn't eat or lodge in most "white only" establishements in the south.

Me thinks racism in ham radio happened way before the advent of digital modes, Brother.  If fact, I stumbled on some "gentlemen" on 40 meters (analog) the other day from Georgia who were doing the same thing you described.  They used every slur but the "N" word in their conversation.  I didn't call them on it either because I didnt want my call sign associated with such a group. 

I'm glad at least most of us moved on from that embarassing time in American history. 

~KD3Y

Agree with all that you say. All that I can add is that my dad raised me to believe that the 'waves' were a place for everything but 'life'. I did not get it at first until I too discovered waves of discontent. I am a firm believer in individual thought, no choice in the matter anyway, we all think our own thoughts. But we do enough of that in 'life', let's keep the waves for our geekiness and our interest in science. This said, and now I will contradict myself, back in the day, when amateur radio was for some of us the only means of communication (we used to order from Sears via HF ... another day for that story) then it was our social channel, de facto. It was used to tell of births, speak of incoming weather, but also of the candidates in the next election. But nowadays, with so many other media to do this, I have made it my choice, and the choice of this Community, to keep all that potentially necessary but often conflictual content absent. Now of course, if anyone is from Boston, I reserve the right to tell them that the Canadiens play better hockey, always have, and always will 🤩

[KD3Y]

8 hours ago, K3MRI said:

 I reserve the right to tell them that the Canadiens play better hockey, always have, and always will 🤩

And of course, North Carolina has the best barbecue.  😁

Pa always said, "If you pull up to a BBQ restaurant and don't smell smoke, get back in your car and leave."