Beauty is in the eye of the beholder ...

Foundations of Amateur Radio

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I look at an antenna and marvel at what it implies. A simple piece of conducting material made into some particular shape and size that harnesses the radio spectrum. I find it fascinating that this can and does exist and my fascination translates into a thing of beauty.

I recall being on a camping trip and being introduced by a friend to an antenna that was strung between two trees in the middle of the bush. For some reason that escapes me we needed to lower the antenna and I got to have a look at the feed-point.

Let me describe this to you.

Picture a ceramic fence insulator. The two legs of the wire dipole are each fed through the insulator at a 90 degree offset, in just the same way as you would install it into an electric fence. Looped around this is a piece of RG213 coax which is soldered onto each leg of the dipole, shield to one side, centre to the other. No traditional balun, but there is a piece of wire wrapped around the coax, holding it all together and I have no doubt that it acts as some form of choke.

This thing looks absolutely horrible. It's weathered, it's rough, it's nasty, has spider-webs and other little critters living in the insulator, the soldering is quick and dirty, the shield is roughly attached to one of the legs. If you've been in the Australian Bush and visited a farm there you'll know exactly how rough and ready this antenna is. I seem to recall that its proud owner (Hi Kim) put it up temporarily in a hurry to get on air one day, a decade or so ago.

So, what of this ugly mess?

It was the best antenna I've used in a long while. It allowed me to make my first QRP contact across the length of Australia into New Zealand. It allowed me to contact the 7130 DX net for the first time and we talked to a globe circumnavigating sailor on this antenna.

So, as ugly as this thing is to look at, from an antenna perspective, it's the most beautiful thing I've seen in a while.

Now, you need to know something. I saw this antenna nearly four years ago. I have photos of it. Every now and then I go back to those photos and marvel at it.

In our hobby we have people from all different walks of life. It's been pointed out on more than one occasion that as a community, the single piece of glue we have is our Amateur License. Of course some of us have more in common than just that, but it would be smart to remember that every member of our community has a different view on aesthetics, a different perspective on what is good and what is bad.

I recall coming into a new radio club, I had been an Amateur for less than a month, and bringing along my shiny new Yaesu FT-857d, I was so proud of my acquisition. It was everything I liked in a radio. I'd bought it with hard-earned cash and I was chuffed to show it off. One of the first comments I received was: "Well that's an ugly radio!". Suffice to say that I was unimpressed with that assertion. Their perspective was based on their love of the FT-897, which has a different shape, one that didn't particularly appeal to me.

Since that experience I've attempted to subject myself to many different radios. It's become apparent to me that everyone has a different thing they like about their radio. For one it's the layout, for the other the filters, another likes the colour, the price, the number of buttons, the history, its power consumption, the brand, the whatever.

Each to their own.

I'm pretty sure that I'm also biased. I recall at least two instances where friends of mine purchased a radio that I would not have considered since they lacked a particular feature that I felt was essential. I'm not sure I was gracious in my assessment of their new purchase, but I hope to make amends.

In some workplaces there are policies of tolerance in place. There is an assumption that people are going to be together in the same place for long stretches of time with different cultures, different outlooks, needs and desires and different life perspectives. Some employers have attempted to codify this into a workplace diversity policy.

It occurs to me that in Amateur Radio, our attempt at doing such a thing is outlined in something we refer to as "The Amateur's Code", written in 1928 by Paul W9EEA. The language is a little stilted, reflecting its origins, but it's an interesting take on what it is to be an Amateur.

If you've never heard it, let me share with you the words written by Paul. I should add some disclaimers about gender and country here, but I'll leave the text as it was.

The Radio Amateur is:

CONSIDERATE, never knowingly operating in such a way as to lessen the pleasure of others.

LOYAL, offering loyalty, encouragement and support to other amateurs, local clubs and the American Radio Relay League, through which Amateur Radio in the United States is represented nationally and internationally.

PROGRESSIVE, with knowledge abreast of science, a well built and efficient station, and operation beyond reproach.

FRIENDLY, with slow and patient operation when requested, friendly advice and counsel to the beginner, kindly assistance, co-operation and consideration for the interests of others. These are the hallmarks of the amateur spirit.

BALANCED, Radio is an advocation, never interfering with duties owed to family, job, school or community.

PATRIOTIC, with station and skill always ready for service to country and community.

I'm Onno VK6FLAB