I've been noticing how almost everybody on these discussion boards that is a Ham Radio operator has either an Advanced or an Amateur Extra license whereas the ASTRONAUT program, by comparison, is almost exclusively made up of Technicians!! Dave KC7WGB
Methinks astronauts that do the ham radio thing have very little to gain from upgrading. The disadvantages of having a Technician class license for us earth bound folks is that the priviledges (spectrum) are line of site. If LOS in miles is approximately SQR(Alt in Feet) X 1.23 and your in space then LOS is a long ways. So they get almost a hemisphere of coverage with tiny antennas, 2 or three days studying, $7 fee, a test easier than some CLEPs and they don't even have to learn morse code. Of course morse code is fun for the life long learner type person, but the license upgrades just aren't going to compete for these people's time when they are already busier than the proverbial one legged guy.
I think that it is in Silence of the Lambs that Dr. Lector says that ham radio operators have serious mental health issues... Nosborne, JD AA7NP
Wasn't Hannibal Lecter the one teaching Agent Clarice Starling using the Socratic method in that film, proving Lecter was mentally unstable? Just kidding AA7NP!! Dave KC7WGB
I'm guessing that they are over forty-years-old, as well. The Internet (DX) and cell phones (road-side assist) have taken some of the glamour out of the hobby, for those who look at it superficially and say, "nah." Bill Highsmith, NC4V (not so active)
ham radio conventions Ham radio operators, staring at the controls, listening for every sound, wait a minute, isn't that computer users??? Ham operators have whole conventions. Sometimes even where they see each other. All the best!
