Has anyone noticed that the number of "Lids" we hear on the air is increasing? Has anyone noticed that the standard of operating is falling to a level lower than it was at the height of the 1970's CB craze? Why is this?
Why do we have people (I won't call them Hams) sitting on 7.181 using language, and talking about subjects that would make a Toronto hooker blush? I won't even start on K1MAN and his "ownership" of 14.275, nor will I get into that disgusting piece of work from Saanich, BC, who's language and filthy racist comments on the air have to be heard to be believed, neither of whom are fit to be members of our great hobby.
Why is their behavour allowed, and why hasn't Industry Canada or the FCC stepped in and put a stop to this garbage? It just boggles the mind that they haven't yet done so. We know that hundreds of complaints, and recordings of them, have been sent in to the authorities. What's the holdup?
Then we have the idiots who make a habit of chasing DX when they have no clue how to do so. The other day, as an example, a station from the Ivory Coast called CQ on 20 meters, and was quickly pounced upon by about 30 people, all screaming their callsigns at the top of the lungs (as if this makes a big difference getting through). Several of these clowns continued to scream their callsigns over and over and over and over again....even when the DX station was in a QSO. Do these people really think that this is the way to work DX? Do they really think that the DX station is even going to work them after their unprofessional behaviour? I don't think so! Is this behaviour the reason I hear more and more of the DX stations saying "yep, I worked you, but you're not in the log"?
A wise old Elmer from California once told me that "anyone can become an Amateur Radio Operator, but it takes great skill, knowledge and good manners to become a HAM." Therefore it stands to reason that some of the people we hear on the air today will NEVER become Hams!
