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Comment by astronautjones | Hacker News Reader

go wild using SDRs and just start researching what everything does. the kiwisdr network is really impressive and amazing - http://ve3sun.com/KiwiSDR/

if you live in the US, i've found that 90% of ham action is bordering on c-span call-in line territory and really off-putting and demoralizing.

it's much more exciting and encouraging at first to listen in faraway locales online (and then you can eventually get some equipment that can catch those signals physically at your house too). the old tech guy factor is alive and well with the subculture which is honestly really endearing imo, especially the people that review equipment on youtube. it is a level of humble and noble pedantry - what some might call dorkiness - that seems like it barely even exists in my generation's youtube

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There are workarounds for the annoying ranting if you can keep a basic plan, log, and schedule. Find nets, special event stations, and contests that interest you, on your favorite band or mode or both. Or multiples of each. You will never run out of interesting stuff.

(The same is kinda true with anything you can mindlessly browse, be it OTA TV or even Twitter or YouTube. Once you put a framework into motion it's easier to cut out stuff you don't like, by finding things you do like)

> ...bordering on c-span call-in line territory and really off-putting and demoralizing.

Is this a roundabout way of complaining that you can't block or flag people you disagree with in meatspace?

I don't want to put words in the above poster's mouth, but I think they're just saying that it isn't fun to listen to incoherent rambling and the occasional racist rant. Based off of a few hours listening to the infamous .435 in Los Angeles [1], I'm inclined to agree

[1]: https://www.broadcastify.com/webPlayer/14747

I guess c-span got a lot more interesting since I stopped watching tv, not only allowing racist rants on air - but doing it to a degree that develops a level notoriety supporting cultural shorthand. Like Emily Post. Either that or... nah, I don't wanna put words in your mouth.

Yeah, I think things escalated around ~2010. It's definitely not an everyday thing, but I think every year or two someone manages to scream the N word on Washington Journal. Around 2012 they added a short delay to calls and every once in a while they make the delay even longer. There was also a period around the 2012 election when people kept calling in and asking about the size of Mitt Romney's penis.

Sounds like classic trolling fare, as in: Mitt Romney's penis is only discussed in places where mention of his penis is frowned on. Given how many Americans think "hate speech" is a legally defined thing, I'd expect offensive language in any environment where there is a chance to remotely provoke a reaction. That is, unless Romney's penis is commonly discussed on amateur radio - in that case there is something much more interesting happening.

Nah. They only listen to voice contacts, and haven’t bothered to listen to Morse code or any of the digital modes. FT8 is guaranteed to be rant-free.

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