another hurricane season ends

We are days to the end of the 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season. This was such a busy year for everything else that some of us may have hardly noticed when the bad weather prevailed. No bad weather came at V4 land this year. Our name was not on any storm or hurricane, so we have to be careful and watch out for next year as that could be our time.

Ham radio in V4 is alive and well, maybe not doing as well as some of us would wish, but I am an optimist, so for me ham radio is doing well. I have had the distinct pleasure of being around ham radio in V4 for over 40-years and consider myself qualified to make that assessment.

Ham activity is high, despite the viewpoint and feelings of some hams. I have seen in some years gone by where only a handful of hams not exceeding 5 of us kept the ham radio fire alight for some years. Hams not privy to our history could feel that the ham radio activity is low, and we are in trouble, but in reality we are floating, but some of us would wish that we do more than just that.

It is natural for ham radio to run in cycles. Everything on the planet runs in cycles, but some of us may not be aware that we have to try to catch and maximize the positive swings, ride out the negative part of the cycle and  not get derailed in the trough. Those persons concerned with the development of ham radio in V4 should know where we are in the V4 ham radio cycle. I suppose that they do because recently I saw a survey questionnaire from a local radio entity, which indicate that they are seeking to upgrade and to give their membership what they need. I wish them well as only better can come to V4 ham radio.

Carnival in V4 begins on 25 November 2011. If I know our people that means that certain aspects of ham radio are going to be on hold until January next year.  And June 1st next year is not to far from that. The national economy is still an issue for most of us, but I see most hams are not in despair, as evidenced by the proliferation of 2-meter hand and portable transceivers. I am still to get mine before the next hurricane season.

We are awaiting news that the V4 hams can get together for a drink sometime in December to celebrate their individual and collective ham radio successes and achievements. Last week one ham operator decided to have a get together for a drink as he celebrated 4-years of being a ham and 4-years of his running a V4 amateur radio society 2-meter nightly net. V44HE has been active from the day he was licensed. He attributed that attitude to his being a CB operator before becoming a ham radio operator.

A few hams missed the snapshot of the hams present at V44HE's 4-year ham radio celebration.