I read the other day, in Dan KB6NU's blog, where eHam now has a "blog" category under their "Ham Links" sections. For grins and giggles, I decided to post my URL there too. This morning, I decided to mosey on over there to see how I was doing. Currently, on a scale of 1 to 5, I am at 3.8. Not bad. Not many votes. But one comment describing this blog got me to thinking.
"A mix of "what I did today" with "QRPers are superior humans". No lack of such sites."
Hmmmmm. Yes, there is a lot of "what I did today" here. In fact, you could say a lot of this blog is exactly that. The second part - "QRPers are superior humans" ???? No, I don't really think so. "Special" humans, maybe, but superior - no. Third part - " No lack of such sites." - I definitely disagree.
Which brings us back to the beginning - why blog anyway? The reasons are many; and vary with just about every blogger out there, I suppose. Basically, as I see it, there are three types of blogs.
1) Blogs with the express intention to teach or disseminate information. I would categorize SolderSmoke as one of these. This blog is devoted to the technical side of the hobby and I think the blogger's intended purpose is to share as much of that information with the Amateur Radio community as possible.
2) Blogs that are personal diaries. These bloggers love the hobby so much that they just want to share with the rest of the Ham community their experiences and ideas.
3) Hybrid blogs, that is a mix of categories 1 and 2. And in reality, that's what I had hoped the purpose of this blog would be. To share my love of the hobby and my experiences in it; but yet at the same time, pass along a nugget of knowledge or two that I learned (the hard way) and might be useful to someone else out there.
I have learned a lot by reading other Amateur Radio blogs out there. Some are technically way over my head; but if I learn a new concept or idea or two, I am much better off for having read them. I have also enjoyed and have been entertained by the blogs that are out there for non-technical reasons. By reading some of these blogs, I feel that I have gotten to know the blogger somewhat better on a personal level. I have corresponded with other bloggers on a private level and consider them to be more than acquaintances - they are new found friends.
"No lack of such sites." ???? You've got to be kidding! I wish there were more - tons more! There are MANY Hams out there who have so much knowledge to contribute; or so many enjoyable stories to share. But they don't because they are shy; or feel their point of view or their experiences are insignificant. Or they just don't know how to go about it.
Actually, it's quite easy; and it's free. I recommend the two following URLs :
http://www.blogger.com
http://wordpress.com/
Whatever your reason for setting up a blog, give it a shot! You may find that you really enjoy it; and if you don't ...... well, you certainly haven't wasted any money; and you can always delete it!
72 de Larry W2LJ
Hi Larry, blogging is for me a way to share my qrp experiences. I feel happy when I work a lot of miles with simple equipment. I love my wife but when I tell her that I work 4000 km, she looks at me, and she don't understand my happy feelings about it. So I need to share that experience with others who can understand. Just like 'Into the Wild': Happiness Is Not Real Unless Shared. 73 Paul
ReplyDeleteHi Larry, I have never blogged until recently as I happened across Adam, M6RDP's site and liked what I saw.
ReplyDeleteFor me it is a way of keeping a record of my HAM highlights and sharing in my opinion information hopefully useful, oh and to have a little brag on dx worked with 10 watts !!!
I find the blogs I follow fascinating and all very different and unique, I can't get enough !
I follow a couple of blogs on the wordpress, I have wanted to post, I take it I need an account ?
73 Paul.
You can't please all the people all the time, Larry, especially with a blog. Plus I think eHam (like QRZ) has a lot of people who just like to criticize others' efforts.
ReplyDeleteI had a few similar comments on my ratings page too but I felt that some people didn't understand what the blog was supposed to be about, or that posts which "rant" about something are usually the ones that generate the most reader response (which every blogger wants.)
Keep up the good work!
I gave up on eHam a long time ago. As a fictional wiseman once said, "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy." There is a large contingent of trolls who live there, and the eHam "staff" don't seem to care about it.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, this seems to come down to two types of people: those who create and those who tear down. Thanks for being one of the good guys and keep up on the FB blog!
73,
Jason NT7S
Those that post remarks like "No lack of such sites" likely do not blog. Or do anything else. So they spread their vast knowledge to the rest of the world.
ReplyDeleteThese folks are like a bunch of local operators in my area. They don't like DX, they don't work DX and so they ridicule everyone who does.
It is kinda like the old saying, "If you don't have anything nice to say..." Well in these cases the saying could well be "If you don't have anything to contribute then keep you mouth shut."
Harsh statement but these folks bring it on themselves with their judgmental attitudes.
I have to agree with Jason. I wouldn't put a lot of credence in much of what is written on Eham. Blogs are a different world from Eham and the Zed, and it's a good thing.
ReplyDeleteI wish there were more ham blogs.
I love to read blogs, especially Hamradio. Indeed they share valuable experiences.
ReplyDeleteBut, I know from personal experience it is hard to find time to write anything.
73 Mark