Excited

Going through my e-mail this morning, I was grrrrrreeted by the fact that fellow Polar Bear and QRPer, Ken Louks WA8REI has started his own blog.  I've known Ken for a few years as we bump into each other on the air all the time, it seems.  And that's really a good thing as Ken is one of the nicest individuals that you could ever have the fortune to know.

But for as many QSOs as we have had, there are obviously things that I didn't know about him; and by the same token, I am sure he doesn't know about me.  For instance, I remember when he had his stroke back in 2008; but I had no idea he was a professional musician.  And I'll tell you right there, on an admiration scale, that knocks him right off the chart in my books.

I would love to play a musical instrument; but I have no talent whatsoever.  I am what could probably best be described as musically bankrupt.  But listen to the sample of Ken's one handed playing that he's inserted into his first post - he has more talent in that arm than I have in three or four of my collective bodies (if I had more than one!). And with all that musical talent that Ken has, now I have a good idea as to why he is the superb CW op that he is.

My dreams of having musical talent aside, my point is that I am so happy that Ken has decided to share his Amateur Radio experiences with us.  And there are MANY of you out there who should be doing the same. Blogging is easy and simple and free, if you use Blogger or Wordpress.  You don't need to be a Shakespeare or a Hemingway or a Bronte or a Fitzgerald for that matter.  All you have to be is yourself, along with a desire to share whatever it is about Ham Radio that you like or is important to you.  We're not talking high prose here - just imagine this as all of us, sitting around a huge kitchen table, sharing coffee (or whatever) and jabbering on about what we love the best.

Love to operate outdoors?  Wow, I love reading about that - consider sharing!  Love to build and design things - I can't get enough about that (especially from a beginner's point of view) - consider sharing!  Love to just ragchew and make contacts around the world?  Love stories about that too - consider sharing!  Are you considering doing something new for you, like attempting to work satellites or maybe doing moonbounce or meteor scatter for the first time?  I would really love to read about something like that!

And from someone's blog, you just might learn a new bit of information about something that's important to you; but you never knew before, or had the time to look for.  Take today for instance,  John AE5X tells about his new weather station in his latest post on his blog, "Radio & Photography".  I have been wanting a weather station for years, but have never wanted to shell out the big bucks for a Davis or Peet unit.  John posts about a station that he has found that seems to be a good bang for the buck.  Although John and I have never met face to face, we've run into each other on the air enough and have e-mailed each other enough where I consider him a good friend.  I respect his opinion immensely, and if it weren't for his blog post, I would have probably never run into the info about this weather station for a long time to come.  Thanks John!  Now when Marianne asks me what I want for Christmas this year, I have something more realistic to ask for besides "KX3"!

The point is, that blogging about Ham Radio is almost kind of the like the "New Elmering".  You have no idea how many people you can touch and inspire.  Also, you have no idea of how many instances occur that when you post about something that you think is routine and mundane, for someone else (perhaps a newcomer) it's a "Gee,I never thought of THAT before" moment!

The bottom line is, we all have something to share.  "Too many blogs out there already" you say?  No my friend, I say there are not enough!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!