Amateur Radio, often called 'Ham Radio' has been my main hobby for more than 25 years and has given me immense enjoyment and satisfaction during that time. With all that has happened with, modern technology over the last 30 to 40 years, and with what is available these days with respect to that, it still gives me a huge buzz to be able to create, maintain and operate a bona fide working radio station that can find and contact with other operators in all parts of the world. Almost since the day 1895 when Guglielmo Marconi transmitted the first Morse Code across the English Channel, people from all walks of life have been captured by the medium of radio. When you contact with someone on air, there is no way of knowing what that person does for a living. They could be anything from the local 'Dustman' to a 'Brain Surgeon' or even 'Royalty'  which happened to myself on a few occasions. Below, my radio shack and antenna system as it was in the 80's/90's.

During the last 25 years I have made many good friends which I am in regular contact with, one in particular a Japanese operator who I first met on air in 1977. His name is Shigeru Okazaki, his callsign is JH2ORJ and we recently celebrated 1184 confirmed contacts since 1978. The offshoots of Ham Radio are many, as well as contacting on air, we have visited each others homes on several occasions, learned to speak each others language and watched our kids grow to adulthood. We are now great-parents and grand-parents. I know of operators who have had the honour to speak on air to King Hussein of Jordan, the Sultan of Brunei and to Senator Barry Goldwater a long serving US. politician. I myself have had the satisfaction of assisting in the sea rescue of 2 vessels in trouble at sea. The most important reason for Ham Radio being so popular, is of course being able to have such a powerful hobby and take part in the many facets it provides, but the Amateur Radio Service which is Government controlled, often provides the only lines left open in the case of National Crisis, natural disasters etc. 

Below is my shack, somewhat scaled down from the original system. I still operate this station to communicate with my friends but the hobby doesn't seem to have the same impact as before.

This clever little dipole antenna, a Zepp21 dipole, is only 6.5 metres long and 6 metres high but even at times of poor propagation, I can still contact friends overseas. The antenna is driven by a Yaesu FT-757GX Mk2 delivering 100 watts PEP.

With the advent of the Internet, the hobby has suffered greatly, the modern technology has had a profound effect on Ham Radio. Young people these days are not so captivated as we were with the magic High Frequency radio, building antenna's, propagation, and the wonder of talking to someone the other side of the world. The internet is wondrous thing and a great tool to many, I guess the Old-timers of our hobby will be left to carry the flag in the future. Its a great pity!!