Heh, I came here to say this when I saw the top level thread that started this comment. As far as GP is concerned:
> I remember they were always confused and surprised to get a random call from a stranger
That's probably the only thing different about Ham radio. Random calls are kinda the norm :-)
I got my license less than a year ago, and in some ways, it reminds me of the "old internet"
* Way fewer ads. In fact, in ham radio, you aren't allowed to advertise. Maybe the absolute best thing about it. Without a legislative change, there will never be (legal) ads.
* Trolls haven't taken over. If you're an ass, you could lose your license. No ham wants to lose their license.
* It's as technical as you want to make it. You can go DEEP into technical things (I haven't even scratched the surface there). You can also just get a hotspot and a handheld for a few hundred bucks and be talking to people across the world after an evenings work of configuring it all.
If you want to talk to strangers who want to talk back... and who, for the most part, aren't jerks -- get your ham radio license.
Bonuses (above and beyond the old internet):
Amateur radio clubs are everywhere. They are filled with nerds who love the hobby. They can be _very_ social -- so there is opportunity for plenty of In Real Life (IRL) interaction.
Yes, it's mostly guys, mostly over 50, and (in my experience) mostly caucasian. If you are intimidated by that, that's totally fair. But, give them a chance -- check out your local club. Most I've visited are _very_ welcoming... and they want nothing more than to get more people interested in the hobby.
> I remember they were always confused and surprised to get a random call from a stranger
That's probably the only thing different about Ham radio. Random calls are kinda the norm :-)
I got my license less than a year ago, and in some ways, it reminds me of the "old internet"
* Way fewer ads. In fact, in ham radio, you aren't allowed to advertise. Maybe the absolute best thing about it. Without a legislative change, there will never be (legal) ads.
* Trolls haven't taken over. If you're an ass, you could lose your license. No ham wants to lose their license.
* It's as technical as you want to make it. You can go DEEP into technical things (I haven't even scratched the surface there). You can also just get a hotspot and a handheld for a few hundred bucks and be talking to people across the world after an evenings work of configuring it all.
If you want to talk to strangers who want to talk back... and who, for the most part, aren't jerks -- get your ham radio license.
Bonuses (above and beyond the old internet):
Amateur radio clubs are everywhere. They are filled with nerds who love the hobby. They can be _very_ social -- so there is opportunity for plenty of In Real Life (IRL) interaction.
Yes, it's mostly guys, mostly over 50, and (in my experience) mostly caucasian. If you are intimidated by that, that's totally fair. But, give them a chance -- check out your local club. Most I've visited are _very_ welcoming... and they want nothing more than to get more people interested in the hobby.
[edit: formatting bullets]