Properly representing ham radio and Ubuntu communities

[n3gbz]

At a hamfest today, I noticed a fellow with an Ubuntu baseball cap. I went up and said "Hi, are you a member of Ubuntu-Hams?"

"Pardon?"

"I noticed your hat and wondered if you were in Ubuntu-Hams?"

He pointed to his hat and said "Oh that is an operating system."

My reply, "I know, but there is also a sub-group for Hams. Are you involved?"

"That's not for me." And with a condescending smile as he walked away "And, it is pronounced oo-BUN-too."

I have been involved long enough to realize his rudeness and his know-at-all attitude is indicative of neither the ham community nor the Ubuntu community. But a prospective newbie would be very turned-off by his curt responses.

Please, if you want to support these groups, try to be courteous and properly informed.

[tgalati4]

How do you know if he didn't have some sort of social disassociative disorder?

What was he doing at a hamfest if he wasn't interested in ham radios?

Why was he wearing an Ubuntu cap?

Too many questions, not enough answers.

[XubuRoxMySox]

I went to a "field day" thing several months ago and it was pretty cool. I even got to chat with an astronaut in orbit over something called "packet" which is kinda like IRC. I saw amateur television, got to watch them play with amateur satellite stuff (not geosynchronous orbits - they actually tracked a satellite across the sky and moved this weird-looking antenna along with the satellite's orbit). Then there was the more familiar stuff too, and I even got to relay some "traffic" from across the Atlantic to a local recipient.

It's pretty geeky stuff, but they were all obviously having a great time at it, and with no commercial power to support all that! It was all generators, solar panels, car batteries, and even a human-powered setup (bicycle-powered generator). I remembered how hams helped out when cell phones and everything were down after a hurricane, and it was fun seeing how they do it.

I didn't see any Linux 'puters running, but quite a few terminals (not computers, just terminals!) connected directly to some kinda box where hams were typing furiously on RTTY (radio teletype) and packet. Oh, and lots of morse code stuff. Morse code ("CW," for continuous wave) travels alot farther on alot less power than most other forms of communication, and even a faint signal reaches waaaaay out across the world. Pretty cool. Great hobby for geeks who want to help others in a large scale emergency, whether from little hand-held FM radios or the big ones with those ginormous antennas that go up on a big mast or even wire strung between big trees. Amazing.

Hams rock!

An admirer,
Robin

[n3gbz]

How do you know if he didn't have some sort of social disassociative disorder?
...
Maybe that or just a bad-hair day!

[Frogs Hair]

I would find it a bit strange if a stranger came up to me and started a conversation with me because of the hat I was waring . Would you have spoke to him without the hat ?

[n3gbz]

No, I initiated the conversation because he had an Ubuntu hat and was at a hamfest. I assumed we had two common interests. I have an Ubuntu sticker on my laptop and love having people ask about it.

[Austin25]

Did you tell him you use it too? How about explaining that ubuntu-hams is about using ham radios with Ubuntu computers?

[n3gbz]

Did you tell him you use it too? How about explaining that ubuntu-hams is about using ham radios with Ubuntu computers?

Really wanted to but didn't get a chance.

[old_dad12997]

I am almost certain that I am the person you approached.

I seem to have offended you. Please accept my apologies.

I certainly had no desire to be condescending to you. Please understand that it is a bit off - puting to be approached in the way you describe.

Again, my apologies.

[n3gbz]

Chalk it up to a misunderstanding.