My father was a HAM operator in Venezuela. SSTV (Slow Scan TV) was a way to transmit images through any HAM radio, and when the first images were received from Voyager, a HAM operator at NASA was broadcasting these even before they made the evening news. So there we were, in a small town in Venezuela looking at new space frontiers thanks to the magic of HAM radio.
When I was around 12 (in the 90s) I got my licence, but didn't have a radio. My family was having a garage sale and I was playing around with a cheap CB radio while we sat in the garage. An older man that stopped noticed me playing with the radio and found out during the conversation that I had my licence and it turns out he was an operator as well! When he found out I didn't have a radio, this gentleman went all the way back to his house and brought back an old 2m that he'd built from a kit along with an antenna and other accessories. He just gave them to me, wished me luck, and left! I built my whole station around that one 2m radio and had a whole bunch of fun :-) Still have it today! As a young boy, it felt like being handed the keys to a spacecraft and left a big impression on me.
I'm a younger ham and a woman. I loved your documentary. I'm an extra and hope to pass the radio bug to my children. I've elmered lots of young folks into the hobby and signed a lot of tickets (I signed their papers when they passed their ham radio exams). I'm very hopeful on the future of ham, let's keep experimenting and communicating with each other around the world. My grandfather was a ham licensed in the 1920s and I collect his QSL cards off ebay when they pop up. It's my little link to the past with his handwriting and transmission quality notes. 73s!
Imagine! Amateur radio operators dressed for the weather, not surrounded by promotional Chinese knock-offs. I bet they even read the instructions. We get to see their faces because they have something to convey. Tables littered because they're actual workspaces, not video setups. Radios powered up and OTA. These are people of experience. As an actual technician, I have goosebumps.
As an adult just now getting into the hobby, its stories like yours that are encouraging to me. More young people getting involved. It seems that in.just the last couple years, people have realized the unmatched utility of HAM, especially in remote areas. Where I grew up, you were screwed if you got lost with a cell phone, the towers were unreliable and the coverage was about 1 square mile in a mountain range. If you had a ham radio with you, you were ok, because you can always reach the repeater and call for search and rescue. I guess I was spoiled growing up where nothing worked and it was disconnected from the world. I got to learn how to get by without normal things like internet, cell phone, hell even at times electricity. And every year, the town would get cut off from all surrounding areas because of weather and road closures. So we just got used to fending for ourselves, and never expect the grocery store to have food, always have a minimum of a month of food (we all had a seasons worth though, everyone grew a garden and canned their own vegetables). Im glad youre involved at a young age, the sky is the limit with what you can accomplish, starting at such a young age. You're encouraging, my friend! 73
I'm a millennial who is completely disillusioned with modern technology. I've worked in IT for the last 15 years and I hate the trajectory of modern tech corporations. Everything is about greed and money, and true innovation in tech is almost completely dead. Ham radio has been a salvation for me. It has restored my faith in human innovation and the pursuit of knowledge for the good of all humanity. Ham radio embodies all this and more for me and I hope that all the old hams know that the younger generation is here and wants/needs to learn from them.
An interesting few points you make. I've been in IT 32 years, since school literally, and the good times and real innovation fun has diminished, and AI will finish it. I'm working on getting my HAM license in an attempt to go back to basics somewhat, but just to have fun with more basic and now almost more interesting "technology", radio waves.
Been a ham for 30 years now, and never was there a documentary that I know of that was filmed by people outside of the hobby. Great work and thanks for giving our community such a positive spin! 73 to all!
Amazing work. I'm in my 20's and thankful that there's material like this introducing new people to ham radio. Thank you for putting in the effort and making this, it's really a great window into our world.
What a great video. I got my license about 7 years ago and just recently saved up enough to get into hf. The great thing about this hobby is the feeling that there is always more to explore. When I got my tech I was having so much fun chatting on my local repeater, simplex with the locals, then dipped my toe into DMR/D-Star which was a ton of fun. Then I built a yagi antenna out of pvc pipe and an old tape measure and started recieving pictures from the ISS! Then I upgraded to general. Now I'm talking to hams all over the world and studying for my extra to get that extra band privilege. As a 36 year old, I do everything I can to expose this wonderful hobby to everyone I can, many have never even heard of amateur radio!
I love the guy at the 5:00 -ish mark. “I can’t do clubs, can’t keep the schedule but if you ask me for my time I will do that”. Paraphrased. Love that answer, it’s so independent yet shows passion and love.
Pretty well all of my local ham friends aren't interested in clubs nor me. Ham radio is doing well and getting popular again but clubs are dead as a future.
to the people who spent their time and effort making this documentary, i am overwhelmed with gratitude, for showing the people and their stories, behind the radio waves. thank you
Been A Ham since 1998, and love this world. I’ve been president of a ham radio club, and lived from inside the job hams do to encourage people to embrace and enjoy amateur radio. As it was said in this amazing movie, ham radio is not dying, it’s evolving. And that evolution is the road to a future ham radio, in the hands of new hams that have a different relation with technology than ours. That’s why encouraging young people into radio, and assimilating new modes, new technology and new hams is vital to keep hams on the air for many generations.
I got the bug when I was 12 (1965) but we never had the $$ to indulge in the hobby. So, I joined the Navy and became a radioman and served as the ship’s MARS operator. Never experienced more satisfaction than hanging with some of the best HAMS on earth. Now at 71, I can easily afford to start up but I just don’t have the time. Good wishes to all of you out there, you have my admiration….esp those of you still using CW and who take the time to mentor youngsters.
Dear Grace, as a radio amateur since 2017 I felt honoured and deeply moved by the excellent way you depicted and displayed the people in HAM radio. The solid storyline. Explaining not only the technical side but allso the human side of this great service helps us all understand this a lot better. The team did a great job in putting this intricate situation on film and a big thank you to all the hams in this production. Let me wipe the tears out of my eyes. This touched me. Please keep on going ! seven three, doei doei from the Netherlands. Dit dit. 🙏
That was amazing! I wish it was like 3x longer. Currently studying for my tech license via a mix of apps and youtube. My ultimate goal is to make contact with the ISS, which luckily is possible even with a technician license. Anyways cheers from the midwest!
As a really young ham at only 13, it's still amazing that this is possible. Thanks for this amazing vide explaining and showing people what ham radio is!
@@Leon-lv3cn back in the day, professional radio operators used the phrase "ham fisted" to refer to unskilled amateur radio operators who were not as skilled with morse code. it was considered a rude thing to say to others, but eventually the amateur radio community re-appropriated the term to refer to themselves and now it can be thought of as HAMateur
"ham" (radio) is a slang word for amateur radio which is the professional and real name for "ham radio" it's a world wide term that just makes it easier to know what it is. @@Leon-lv3cn
Just like a CQ call this is reaching out over the world and bringing people together, I don’t think it’s a dying hobby but for sure it’s evolving. Great work Grace and thanks for sharing it and thanks to the fellows hams for making it possible. 73
Thank you. I've been around long enough to have watched the Apollo 11 moon landing on TV. I was 8. I grew up around radio and tech in my family but just this year got my Amateur Radio licenses. This piece really hit home for me. Thanks and 73. Greg KC1SJZ
Got my general license less than a month ago. So far I’ve been operating 2m/70cm repeaters around my local area. It was fun to watch this as a newbie that’s still finishing up in university! Hopefully I can start working other bands in the near future! KF0LVR, 73
I also got my tech in university. Getting general just after I graduated. HF is a whole other world. I recommend studying for your extra while you’re at. Just got mine last week
I like hopping onto the HAM waves some nights and listening to what people are saying. Usually I am hunting around for random MW frequencies but on some nights I can catch some interesting conversations coming from all over western montana.
This was very nice. My interest in radio began in the 70's when I was a preteen, listening to the National Weather Service and police frequencies... then getting my CB license when that was a requirement. Sadly, I literally knew nothing about amateur radio until I entered the Marine Corps at the end of 85 and saw that something called M.A.R.S. had told my Mom that I'd arrived at Parris Island safely. Anyway, nearly 50 years from that first listen to 162.55Mhz in North Jersey to now, I'm studying for my Technician License. Do yourself a favor and encourage young folks NOW! It's not all cell phones and Xbox!
Finally, a Ham Radio Documentary that honors this great hobby. Really, thanks for helping us on promoting Ham Radio to the world. ¡Thanks! Hope the best for you and your filmmaking career. Best regards from SPAIN 🇪🇸 🇮🇨 (Reg EA8 - Canary Islands) 73!!
You managed to capture the entire spirit of amateur radio at 7:12. That smile on your face sums it up perfectly... this hobby has put that smile on so many faces so many times for over a hundred years.
This is wonderfully produced - really well done Grace. I'm in my mid-30s and recently got into ham radio after years of dabbling in DIY audio electronics. It was just a nagging curiosity that led me to this whole new world of the radio spectrum, and I ended up meeting tons of friendly characters willing to share their knowledge. I'm still a novice but really enjoying it so far. Thanks for making this!
I am not and have never been a ham radio operator. However, my dad was a ham operator from the early 50's (possibly since the 1940's) until his death in 1950. I have his logbook, and I saw that I wrote my name in his logbook in 1959 when I was 4 years old. He operated in the Panama Canal Zone, Nebraska, and New Jersey. He was a radar operator for the Army Air Force at the end of WWII on the Galapagos Islands. We would take cross country road trips, and he put his ham antenna on our car, and brought his radio to talk with. We had a tall tower in our back yard with his ham antenna. Thanks for posting this documentary.
Built a ham transmitter (10 watt) on the top of a cake pan as a kid - mid 70’s - worked well - used chassis punch’s to make holes for the tubes (yup tubes). Got the schematics and plans from an old Popular Electronics magazine (from the 60’s). Used varnished toilet paper rolls to wind the frequency coils. Yeee haaaa
This has motivated me to obtain my HAM license. In 1989 I was a cadet in Civil Air Patrol and operated a UHF rig just above the 2m band. I was hooked then. This just rekindled that fire for the radio. See y’all in bands soon 👍👍
This is what GPS truly runs on. Giant radio towers. GPS is ground based. There ain't no magical flying aluminum cans. Satellite tv - ground based. The dishes on the houses are the "satellites" that "orbit" the transmission towers. I know how that sounds but it doesn't take long to realize it has to be that way. It's common knowledge cell phones use towers. Att is a billion dollar corporation and existed before sat tv was even thought of. Why don't cell phones use satellites? Simple answer is they don't exist. High altitude balloons are all around the equator where third world countries don't have thousands of NASA religious zealots with telescopes. I know how all that sounds but you have first hand knowledge of radio towers and such. Signals do not go around curves. Straight lines only. Yes, the higher the tower the more range but it doesn't matter because a sphere falls off well before the range does. I know. Crazy. Except basic science and 1940 tech proves NASA is a farce. Nobody trusts the FBI. Nobody trusts the CIA. Why do people trust with absolution a govt agency that is made of Nazi brought straight from the 3rd Reich in operation paper clip. Yeah, those men are dead but their kids aren't and the govt agency they started isn't. It's all CGI. The gatekeepers of space. Trust us. We're the govt...
Excellent video! You captured the essence and spirit of Amateur Radio very well! Ham radio is alive and well and growing! The radio club in our town has been in existence since 1936! We hold regular testing sessions and have licensed many new Hams. Many people enter the hobby through emergency preparedness groups and end up exploring other facets of Ham radio. The sky is the limit! Thanks for making this video!
@RADIO ACTIVATED Not just that - in the UK I don't think that's a consideration for the majority of people, thankfully. Some people still enjoy the thrill of a hobby that takes patience and commitment, plus study to improve and constantly learn. It does seem as if the 'prepper' community in some countries have their own reasons for getting licences, but I'm not sure the same can be said in Europe.
Oh, yeah - I find amateur comms indispensable for off-roading and camping with friends; beats the hell out of FRS/GMRS in most cases. Been licensed for about 30 years now, completely on a whim. Friend of mine was studying for his tech test, and I was his "study buddy". I personally wasn't overly interested in the hobby (at the time); from my perspective I was just hanging out with my friend sharing some beers and doing practice tests. We went to his test appointment, and on the spur of the moment he said, "Hey... you should test, too. It's only five bucks..." So I did. And we both passed, of course. *Then* I was hooked... 😋 In the years since, we've both "levelled up" and been actively playing with the newer technology as it becomes available, recruited several other friends to the Amateur Radio hobby, and between us our large annual Death Valley trip group has probably a couple hundred thousand dollars in radio hardware between us. Sometimes a guy will show up with a Jeep so loaded with tech it looks like a friggin' computer lab, hoisting a 40' pneumatic antenna mast. Sometimes we'll get together and decide we all want to take our "Altoid Tins" (very low power, simple radios that can literally fit inside a traditional metal Altoid box) out into the desert and start tossing antenna lines up onto the cliffsides. Just depends on our mood and interests at the time.
Thank you so much for doing this film! This is exactly what the hobby needs and as a 17 yrs old ham I really enjoyed this. This was outstanding! Tnx de sa6nia
I just charged up my handheld ham radio after letting it sit for a long time. Renewed my ham radio license. Found this documentary while going down the ham radio rabbit-hole. This is such a well-done documentary. I tried going to your webpage, but it seems down currently. I saw that you worked on Bitterroot (you were the digital imaging technician) which was shown at the Tribeca film festival. I'm happy to see you still active in film. I wish you well on your journey!
Awesome Documentary! People can talk about the internet and their cell phones, but to be able to communicate w/out 3rd party assistance, that will always be cool.
pretty darn cool. i grew up in the 90's, building circuits and programming computers, and ham was something i always wanted to do -- but i never knew anyone to learn from, and the equipment was out of my reach money wise and i didn't have the expertise to build it. i'd still like to learn, but at 37, it would be for fun, not because i'd budge the median age :-D thank you for making this documentary, the last time i was in montana my band played a record store in kalispell heh. beautifull
wow this is so cool to learn about!! very well put together documentary, i enjoyed hearing peoples stories and having an insight to their lives! good job guys! 💖💖💖
Excellent video! A HAM radio documentary like this is much needed and much appreciated. The HAM radio hobby was on somewhat of a decline but is now making a strong comeback thanks to active Elmers and videos like this. The hobby has more modes and options than ever before and offers something for everyone!
Thank you, Grace...As aa amateur radio operator, I found your video very interesting and informative. I have informed our ham radio club members to watch it as well since we are constantly having new operator joining our club.
This was wonderful. I have seen a lot of movement among younger Hams in Digital, POTA, SOTA and SHTF operating. They seem to be finding new ways to combine all of those ideas to create new ones, very encouraging to see.
Grace, disfruté mucho viendo tu documental. Me encantaron las tomas, como fue fluyendo de manera natural el film en si. La presentación de los protagonistas, el sonido, pero por sobre todo me gustó mucho la calidez con la que presentaste el amor y pasión que provoca en muchas personas la radioafición. Espero ver más material tuyo en esta clave porque independientemente del tópico elegido para el documental, considero muy bien logrado el resultado final. Me recordó (y con eso delato mi edad) los films que veía en los noventas cuando sentía la calidez humana en el registro fílmico, sin necesidad de artificios. 73!
He estado interesado en este tema desde joven. Desde el terremoto del 76 en mi país Guatemala, el tema de la radioaficion ha sido recordado como algo relevante en emergencias. Aún no tengo un radiotransmisor pero estoy estudiando para la licencia en mi país. Saludos !
Wonderful documentary about the HAM and HAM spirit. It is just understandable by anyone. Not too technical, some footage from the past and pioneer in moon bouncing communications. 👏🏻👏🏻 73 to the students film makers and to all HAM. LX1DH David
This documentary reminded me in quality of the great BBC documentaries of old. It's wonderful to learn about culture in all its forms, and i especially enjoyed the warmth of the radio operators toward each other, humanity will always be in need of kindness and good will.
Not even sure how I stumbled on to this amazingly well done documentary but definitely glad I did! As a young boy...back in the 1960's (yeah, I'm an old dog lol) I aspired to get my Novice license and actually did manage to achieve 5 WPM with the code key. I used to sit downstairs...underneath the basement stairway, in my little "HAM shack" and was able to catch sideband using the BFO on my RME receiver. It is a vacuum tube radio that I still have, as it's one of my most cherished possessions, in that whenever I look up on the shelf at it, I get so sentimental because of the reminder it gives me of a simpler, more "friendly" period of time, before all the nastiness we seem to be having in our polarized world today. I never did actually go "downtown" (Chicago) to take the Novice test but now that I'm retired and being limited by MS...and old age ;-) who knows: maybe there's a HAM license in my future. Anyways, thanks again to you and your talented videography team for stirring up some good thoughts and feelings in this old guy...GREAT JOB! God bless your future endeavors...especially with your desire to become a HAM operator. Don't abandon your dream!
Thanks for taking time out to make this video. Although this video is based in the US, the feelings expressed by these senior ham are felt and shared worldwide. 73 de 9W2V.
Nice video ! I don't understand why we have'nt this kind of video in France...We're unknow there. Many peoples dont't know what's a Ham Radio. Very sad. 73 de F4DNP..
Very nice work, Grace, your crew, and all the Hams who did a wonderful job of explaining and demonstrating a bit of what being a ham is all about. Loved it.
It's interesting, I just got interested in Amateur Radio and I'll be 51 in about 2 weeks. I said to a friend this morning that I'm officially old because I'm getting a HAM radio license. As long as I can remember this has been a past time for old men, mostly retired engineers or physicists.
We need more amateur radio operators. We don’t need more expert ones. Those develop on their own with a bit of encouragement and guidance from elmers, but we need more people to talk to. We need more people operating radios from ski lifts and on high altitude hikes. We need more people operating from stadiums at packed games giving score updates. It’s so much better, more fun than twitter.
Almost 2 years ago , got into electronics as an hobby and passion. By wavering the internet about electronics , I discovered this hobby and I simply got fascinated. Recently , succeded to finally purchase the well know Baofeng UV-5R , one of the best radios for its price , maybe in the whole world. Also im planning to get my license this year and i look forward into getting an amp for the ht and an better antenna , doing SOTA's and having fun ! Succeded to make an contact on the PMR446 ( the non-licensed band; FRS equivlent) and I was so happy ! Im 19 at this moment.
That was an awesome movie! Thanks for putting it out there. 73’s to the Montana crowd. Hope to work you all with my puny qrp station from South Dakota. De n5vwn
Extremely well done video - the best that I've seen. I always encourage folks to get started in it even at a low level so they have some communications experience for emergencies/disasters. And yes, the observation that CW/Morse Code operators tend to be better overall holds. 73 DE N4HPG
This was fantastic! My late grandfather was an Amateur Radio hobbyist in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. When I was a kid, I’d go & spend every school holidays there & hang out with him in his radio shack. Such good times! I’m now 40 & this documentary has now motivated me to go get my own license.
This is a terrific documentary and I want to thank you for interviewing these good folks about their experiences as HAMs. I’ve always had an interest as much in the technology as the people who the pastime specifically attracts: generally those who are problem solvers and aren’t afraid to fail to succeed.
Thank you for this incredible insight into amateur radio. I was a kid who loved electronics, which led to some low power pirate radio operation, which led to me getting my license and enjoying amateur radio and the amazing people. I let my license lapse in the 90s, but thanks to your film I am going to get my ticket again and rejoin my radio friends. Good luck on your testing and I think you will really enjoy amateur radio. 73s from former KE4EXB.
Excellent production! I've been a ham for just under a year and still can't believe how kind and welcoming everyone is. This is a community of fantastic folks, and you portrayed that perfectly.
I’ve wanted to get into amateur radio on and off over the years, but in my 40s I got a GMRS license and I’m studying for the Ham exam, it’s a really fun thing and very useful 😊
Grace, this is amazing! I love the heartwarming scenes toward the end, they really loved your time there. It’s a great community, even for younger generations and I say that as a relatively younger member, I wish it was easier to get others into.
You have my respect. This is amateur radio represented on a technical and studious level. It takes ability and determination to accomplish Ham radio operations at this level.
You killed it with this video. AMAZING job. I think this represents that modern state of the hobby that I get excited about and I think it'll be the first thing that I would show people that ask 'why' I do what I do in an articulate and concise manner. Thanks so much!
This was a good mini-doc on the subject. As a media creator and HAM I approve. The shot curation was nice, you had good sound and the story moved forward nicely. You should be proud of this work. The only thing I think that is missing is the perspective of a new ham or younger station. It's been interesting being well below the median age of the average HAM and getting into it. I started because it made for effective backcountry comms for overlanding and I've grown into the hobby. I don't mess around with HF and Dx work at all, but I do love digital modes like the APRS service and Winlink on VHF mostly. What I find most interesting about the community at large is how much time and money is personally invested to support the community. Repeaters are paid for by somebody afterall. Absolutely astonishing the efforts that go into it. Good luck with the rest of your coursework in visual and media arts.
I spent an hour last Saturday trying to get a QSO with a Russian DXpedition in Rwanda. I finally got them in the log with 100w and a EFHW. I was so happy!😄
My father was a HAM operator in Venezuela. SSTV (Slow Scan TV) was a way to transmit images through any HAM radio, and when the first images were received from Voyager, a HAM operator at NASA was broadcasting these even before they made the evening news. So there we were, in a small town in Venezuela looking at new space frontiers thanks to the magic of HAM radio.
A ham from YV land
@@eduardopower5254 YV5GU
What a cool story! Thank you for sharing
@@ColeRees Right!? Awesome story.
Wonder if he was using those old sat repeaters that get heavy use around the equator
When I was around 12 (in the 90s) I got my licence, but didn't have a radio. My family was having a garage sale and I was playing around with a cheap CB radio while we sat in the garage. An older man that stopped noticed me playing with the radio and found out during the conversation that I had my licence and it turns out he was an operator as well! When he found out I didn't have a radio, this gentleman went all the way back to his house and brought back an old 2m that he'd built from a kit along with an antenna and other accessories. He just gave them to me, wished me luck, and left! I built my whole station around that one 2m radio and had a whole bunch of fun :-) Still have it today! As a young boy, it felt like being handed the keys to a spacecraft and left a big impression on me.
That is super cool, very good story!
Thanks for sharing!!
Wonderful story, when a gift means so much.
At least he didn't try to creep out on you. Good outcome
I'm a younger ham and a woman. I loved your documentary. I'm an extra and hope to pass the radio bug to my children. I've elmered lots of young folks into the hobby and signed a lot of tickets (I signed their papers when they passed their ham radio exams). I'm very hopeful on the future of ham, let's keep experimenting and communicating with each other around the world. My grandfather was a ham licensed in the 1920s and I collect his QSL cards off ebay when they pop up. It's my little link to the past with his handwriting and transmission quality notes. 73s!
This is the BEST documentary I've ever seen on Amateur Radio. Thank you Grace for promoting ham radio, awesome work done by all!
yuhhhh hayden keep doin what your doin buddy love the vids
Imagine! Amateur radio operators dressed for the weather, not surrounded by promotional Chinese knock-offs. I bet they even read the instructions. We get to see their faces because they have something to convey. Tables littered because they're actual workspaces, not video setups. Radios powered up and OTA.
These are people of experience. As an actual technician, I have goosebumps.
True!
as a 14 year old ham radio operator videos like these keep me in the hobby
As an adult just now getting into the hobby, its stories like yours that are encouraging to me. More young people getting involved. It seems that in.just the last couple years, people have realized the unmatched utility of HAM, especially in remote areas. Where I grew up, you were screwed if you got lost with a cell phone, the towers were unreliable and the coverage was about 1 square mile in a mountain range. If you had a ham radio with you, you were ok, because you can always reach the repeater and call for search and rescue. I guess I was spoiled growing up where nothing worked and it was disconnected from the world. I got to learn how to get by without normal things like internet, cell phone, hell even at times electricity. And every year, the town would get cut off from all surrounding areas because of weather and road closures. So we just got used to fending for ourselves, and never expect the grocery store to have food, always have a minimum of a month of food (we all had a seasons worth though, everyone grew a garden and canned their own vegetables). Im glad youre involved at a young age, the sky is the limit with what you can accomplish, starting at such a young age. You're encouraging, my friend! 73
Keep it up! You won’t regret it looking back. 73s
@@seansdriveway you can find me by looking up KK7GKG
@@seansdriveway you can find me at KK7GKG Ham Radio
hey man same here, i am also a 14 year old ham radio operator!
I'm a millennial who is completely disillusioned with modern technology. I've worked in IT for the last 15 years and I hate the trajectory of modern tech corporations. Everything is about greed and money, and true innovation in tech is almost completely dead. Ham radio has been a salvation for me. It has restored my faith in human innovation and the pursuit of knowledge for the good of all humanity. Ham radio embodies all this and more for me and I hope that all the old hams know that the younger generation is here and wants/needs to learn from them.
An interesting few points you make. I've been in IT 32 years, since school literally, and the good times and real innovation fun has diminished, and AI will finish it. I'm working on getting my HAM license in an attempt to go back to basics somewhat, but just to have fun with more basic and now almost more interesting "technology", radio waves.
I got my ham radio license last month (11/14/2023) And I'm having so much fun so far. I'm really proud to be part of this community
Update: Got my General on new years day 2024!
Update 2: Got my Extra ticket 7/12/2024!
1/19/2024 got my technician license. I am loving HF. I'm motivated to get my Gen soon. KD9ZMK, 73!
Got my Extra last week! See you all OTA. 73
@@travisbakeriii3053 Was the exam difficult
@Life_Through_Galleries you definitely need to study.
Been a ham for 30 years now, and never was there a documentary that I know of that was filmed by people outside of the hobby. Great work and thanks for giving our community such a positive spin! 73 to all!
Amazing work. I'm in my 20's and thankful that there's material like this introducing new people to ham radio. Thank you for putting in the effort and making this, it's really a great window into our world.
My test for tech is in less than two weeks! Excited to be a part of it!
@@Chris_at_Home technician is the first of three tiers. technician, then general, then extra.
Don't suck the coleslaw in a certain way to make sure you are healthy. Long days off the streets if you're a fan ☺️🤗
Im in my early 30s…I got my general when I was in my 20s and started with a homemade coat hanger antenna for 2 meters on my parents house.
What a great video. I got my license about 7 years ago and just recently saved up enough to get into hf. The great thing about this hobby is the feeling that there is always more to explore. When I got my tech I was having so much fun chatting on my local repeater, simplex with the locals, then dipped my toe into DMR/D-Star which was a ton of fun. Then I built a yagi antenna out of pvc pipe and an old tape measure and started recieving pictures from the ISS! Then I upgraded to general. Now I'm talking to hams all over the world and studying for my extra to get that extra band privilege. As a 36 year old, I do everything I can to expose this wonderful hobby to everyone I can, many have never even heard of amateur radio!
BEEN A HAM SINCE 1978 AND I STILL LOVE THIS WONDERFUL HOBBY…73
I love the guy at the 5:00 -ish mark. “I can’t do clubs, can’t keep the schedule but if you ask me for my time I will do that”. Paraphrased. Love that answer, it’s so independent yet shows passion and love.
Pretty well all of my local ham friends aren't interested in clubs nor me. Ham radio is doing well and getting popular again but clubs are dead as a future.
to the people who spent their time and effort making this documentary, i am overwhelmed with gratitude, for showing the people and their stories, behind the radio waves. thank you
Been A Ham since 1998, and love this world. I’ve been president of a ham radio club, and lived from inside the job hams do to encourage people to embrace and enjoy amateur radio. As it was said in this amazing movie, ham radio is not dying, it’s evolving. And that evolution is the road to a future ham radio, in the hands of new hams that have a different relation with technology than ours. That’s why encouraging young people into radio, and assimilating new modes, new technology and new hams is vital to keep hams on the air for many generations.
I got the bug when I was 12 (1965) but we never had the $$ to indulge in the hobby. So, I joined the Navy and became a radioman and served as the ship’s MARS operator. Never experienced more satisfaction than hanging with some of the best HAMS on earth. Now at 71, I can easily afford to start up but I just don’t have the time. Good wishes to all of you out there, you have my admiration….esp those of you still using CW and who take the time to mentor youngsters.
Dear Grace, as a radio amateur since 2017 I felt honoured and deeply moved by the excellent way you depicted and displayed the people in HAM radio. The solid storyline. Explaining not only the technical side but allso the human side of this great service helps us all understand this a lot better. The team did a great job in putting this intricate situation on film and a big thank you to all the hams in this production. Let me wipe the tears out of my eyes. This touched me. Please keep on going ! seven three, doei doei from the Netherlands. Dit dit. 🙏
That was amazing! I wish it was like 3x longer. Currently studying for my tech license via a mix of apps and youtube. My ultimate goal is to make contact with the ISS, which luckily is possible even with a technician license.
Anyways cheers from the midwest!
As a really young ham at only 13, it's still amazing that this is possible. Thanks for this amazing vide explaining and showing people what ham radio is!
It's a calling. And becoming increasingly washed out in today's technical climate.
Reach out for it.
What does ham mean
@@Leon-lv3cn back in the day, professional radio operators used the phrase "ham fisted" to refer to unskilled amateur radio operators who were not as skilled with morse code. it was considered a rude thing to say to others, but eventually the amateur radio community re-appropriated the term to refer to themselves and now it can be thought of as HAMateur
"ham" (radio) is a slang word for amateur radio which is the professional and real name for "ham radio" it's a world wide term that just makes it easier to know what it is. @@Leon-lv3cn
Awsome Documentary 💯👍 Southwest Germany waving a Hand 🙋♂. 73 & happy Weekend de Uncle Guenter
What a wonderful picture of our community. You captured our spirit and our soul. Thank you!
Just like a CQ call this is reaching out over the world and bringing people together, I don’t think it’s a dying hobby but for sure it’s evolving. Great work Grace and thanks for sharing it and thanks to the fellows hams for making it possible. 73
Not dying evolving
Evolution isn't always the answer. Sometimes things are best the way they are or were.
Thank you. I've been around long enough to have watched the Apollo 11 moon landing on TV. I was 8. I grew up around radio and tech in my family but just this year got my Amateur Radio licenses. This piece really hit home for me. Thanks and 73. Greg KC1SJZ
Got my general license less than a month ago. So far I’ve been operating 2m/70cm repeaters around my local area. It was fun to watch this as a newbie that’s still finishing up in university! Hopefully I can start working other bands in the near future! KF0LVR, 73
Congratulations
I also got my tech in university. Getting general just after I graduated. HF is a whole other world. I recommend studying for your extra while you’re at. Just got mine last week
I like hopping onto the HAM waves some nights and listening to what people are saying. Usually I am hunting around for random MW frequencies but on some nights I can catch some interesting conversations coming from all over western montana.
Thanks for making something wholesome in such a turbulent time where smut and violence is on tv
Thank you Grace for that awesome doc. I am sharing that in Brazilians ham radio groups.
Thanks for this one, Still have some Ham friends in Missoula. 73, Skip WB4DAD
This was very nice. My interest in radio began in the 70's when I was a preteen, listening to the National Weather Service and police frequencies... then getting my CB license when that was a requirement. Sadly, I literally knew nothing about amateur radio until I entered the Marine Corps at the end of 85 and saw that something called M.A.R.S. had told my Mom that I'd arrived at Parris Island safely. Anyway, nearly 50 years from that first listen to 162.55Mhz in North Jersey to now, I'm studying for my Technician License. Do yourself a favor and encourage young folks NOW! It's not all cell phones and Xbox!
Finally, a Ham Radio Documentary that honors this great hobby. Really, thanks for helping us on promoting Ham Radio to the world. ¡Thanks!
Hope the best for you and your filmmaking career. Best regards from SPAIN 🇪🇸 🇮🇨 (Reg EA8 - Canary Islands) 73!!
You managed to capture the entire spirit of amateur radio at 7:12. That smile on your face sums it up perfectly... this hobby has put that smile on so many faces so many times for over a hundred years.
This is wonderfully produced - really well done Grace. I'm in my mid-30s and recently got into ham radio after years of dabbling in DIY audio electronics. It was just a nagging curiosity that led me to this whole new world of the radio spectrum, and I ended up meeting tons of friendly characters willing to share their knowledge. I'm still a novice but really enjoying it so far. Thanks for making this!
Grace and team, thank you for a great production! 73 de David AE4LH
I am not and have never been a ham radio operator. However, my dad was a ham operator from the early 50's (possibly since the 1940's) until his death in 1950. I have his logbook, and I saw that I wrote my name in his logbook in 1959 when I was 4 years old. He operated in the Panama Canal Zone, Nebraska, and New Jersey. He was a radar operator for the Army Air Force at the end of WWII on the Galapagos Islands. We would take cross country road trips, and he put his ham antenna on our car, and brought his radio to talk with. We had a tall tower in our back yard with his ham antenna. Thanks for posting this documentary.
Great documentary, love the music.
Built a ham transmitter (10 watt) on the top of a cake pan as a kid - mid 70’s - worked well - used chassis punch’s to make holes for the tubes (yup tubes). Got the schematics and plans from an old Popular Electronics magazine (from the 60’s). Used varnished toilet paper rolls to wind the frequency coils. Yeee haaaa
This has motivated me to obtain my HAM license. In 1989 I was a cadet in Civil Air Patrol and operated a UHF rig just above the 2m band. I was hooked then. This just rekindled that fire for the radio. See y’all in bands soon 👍👍
This is what GPS truly runs on. Giant radio towers. GPS is ground based. There ain't no magical flying aluminum cans. Satellite tv - ground based. The dishes on the houses are the "satellites" that "orbit" the transmission towers. I know how that sounds but it doesn't take long to realize it has to be that way. It's common knowledge cell phones use towers. Att is a billion dollar corporation and existed before sat tv was even thought of. Why don't cell phones use satellites? Simple answer is they don't exist. High altitude balloons are all around the equator where third world countries don't have thousands of NASA religious zealots with telescopes. I know how all that sounds but you have first hand knowledge of radio towers and such. Signals do not go around curves. Straight lines only. Yes, the higher the tower the more range but it doesn't matter because a sphere falls off well before the range does. I know. Crazy. Except basic science and 1940 tech proves NASA is a farce. Nobody trusts the FBI. Nobody trusts the CIA. Why do people trust with absolution a govt agency that is made of Nazi brought straight from the 3rd Reich in operation paper clip. Yeah, those men are dead but their kids aren't and the govt agency they started isn't. It's all CGI. The gatekeepers of space. Trust us. We're the govt...
Excellent video! You captured the essence and spirit of Amateur Radio very well! Ham radio is alive and well and growing! The radio club in our town has been in existence since 1936! We hold regular testing sessions and have licensed many new Hams. Many people enter the hobby through emergency preparedness groups and end up exploring other facets of Ham radio. The sky is the limit! Thanks for making this video!
I didn’t even know this still existed! Such a great documentary. Thank you! Super interesting! 😊
@RADIO ACTIVATED Not just that - in the UK I don't think that's a consideration for the majority of people, thankfully.
Some people still enjoy the thrill of a hobby that takes patience and commitment, plus study to improve and constantly learn.
It does seem as if the 'prepper' community in some countries have their own reasons for getting licences, but I'm not sure the same can be said in Europe.
That's cos in UK we're already fked
Oh, yeah - I find amateur comms indispensable for off-roading and camping with friends; beats the hell out of FRS/GMRS in most cases. Been licensed for about 30 years now, completely on a whim. Friend of mine was studying for his tech test, and I was his "study buddy". I personally wasn't overly interested in the hobby (at the time); from my perspective I was just hanging out with my friend sharing some beers and doing practice tests. We went to his test appointment, and on the spur of the moment he said, "Hey... you should test, too. It's only five bucks..." So I did. And we both passed, of course.
*Then* I was hooked... 😋
In the years since, we've both "levelled up" and been actively playing with the newer technology as it becomes available, recruited several other friends to the Amateur Radio hobby, and between us our large annual Death Valley trip group has probably a couple hundred thousand dollars in radio hardware between us. Sometimes a guy will show up with a Jeep so loaded with tech it looks like a friggin' computer lab, hoisting a 40' pneumatic antenna mast. Sometimes we'll get together and decide we all want to take our "Altoid Tins" (very low power, simple radios that can literally fit inside a traditional metal Altoid box) out into the desert and start tossing antenna lines up onto the cliffsides. Just depends on our mood and interests at the time.
The Prepper angle is pretty well unique to the US.
Thank you so much for doing this film! This is exactly what the hobby needs and as a 17 yrs old ham I really enjoyed this. This was outstanding! Tnx de sa6nia
I just charged up my handheld ham radio after letting it sit for a long time. Renewed my ham radio license. Found this documentary while going down the ham radio rabbit-hole. This is such a well-done documentary. I tried going to your webpage, but it seems down currently. I saw that you worked on Bitterroot (you were the digital imaging technician) which was shown at the Tribeca film festival. I'm happy to see you still active in film. I wish you well on your journey!
Awesome Documentary! People can talk about the internet and their cell phones, but to be able to communicate w/out 3rd party assistance, that will always be cool.
Seems like a nice wholesome hobby. I'm glad these old nerds have each other.
pretty darn cool. i grew up in the 90's, building circuits and programming computers, and ham was something i always wanted to do -- but i never knew anyone to learn from, and the equipment was out of my reach money wise and i didn't have the expertise to build it. i'd still like to learn, but at 37, it would be for fun, not because i'd budge the median age :-D
thank you for making this documentary, the last time i was in montana my band played a record store in kalispell heh. beautifull
Got my Ham licence in 2020 at 35 y.o. in the UK through online examination. It's fun, more young people should join!
wow this is so cool to learn about!! very well put together documentary, i enjoyed hearing peoples stories and having an insight to their lives! good job guys! 💖💖💖
Ditto
Amazing... Thanks for sharing. We need more documentaries like that. 73 from PY1CG
Thank you Grace for putting this together. I hope you get your license and to catch you on the air someday and say thanks again!
what a terrific documentary. very fine production.
Great documentary! Thanks for filming and releasing this. 73 de AD6DM in California.
Absolutely wonderful ! Thank you for this film. As a brand new HAM, I enjoyed your film so very much. Go GRIZ!
Thanks for this Documentary Grace! I appreciate learning a little more about the unique world of amateur radio.
Excellent video! A HAM radio documentary like this is much needed and much appreciated. The HAM radio hobby was on somewhat of a decline but is now making a strong comeback thanks to active Elmers and videos like this. The hobby has more modes and options than ever before and offers something for everyone!
Thank you, Grace...As aa amateur radio operator, I found your video very interesting and informative. I have informed our ham radio club members to watch it as well since we are constantly having new operator joining our club.
This was wonderful. I have seen a lot of movement among younger Hams in Digital, POTA, SOTA and SHTF operating. They seem to be finding new ways to combine all of those ideas to create new ones, very encouraging to see.
Grace, disfruté mucho viendo tu documental. Me encantaron las tomas, como fue fluyendo de manera natural el film en si. La presentación de los protagonistas, el sonido, pero por sobre todo me gustó mucho la calidez con la que presentaste el amor y pasión que provoca en muchas personas la radioafición. Espero ver más material tuyo en esta clave porque independientemente del tópico elegido para el documental, considero muy bien logrado el resultado final. Me recordó (y con eso delato mi edad) los films que veía en los noventas cuando sentía la calidez humana en el registro fílmico, sin necesidad de artificios. 73!
He estado interesado en este tema desde joven. Desde el terremoto del 76 en mi país Guatemala, el tema de la radioaficion ha sido recordado como algo relevante en emergencias.
Aún no tengo un radiotransmisor pero estoy estudiando para la licencia en mi país. Saludos !
Wonderful documentary about the HAM and HAM spirit. It is just understandable by anyone. Not too technical, some footage from the past and pioneer in moon bouncing communications. 👏🏻👏🏻
73 to the students film makers and to all HAM.
LX1DH David
This documentary reminded me in quality of the great BBC documentaries of old. It's wonderful to learn about culture in all its forms, and i especially enjoyed the warmth of the radio operators toward each other, humanity will always be in need of kindness and good will.
Not even sure how I stumbled on to this amazingly well done documentary but definitely glad I did! As a young boy...back in the 1960's (yeah, I'm an old dog lol) I aspired to get my Novice license and actually did manage to achieve 5 WPM with the code key. I used to sit downstairs...underneath the basement stairway, in my little "HAM shack" and was able to catch sideband using the BFO on my RME receiver. It is a vacuum tube radio that I still have, as it's one of my most cherished possessions, in that whenever I look up on the shelf at it, I get so sentimental because of the reminder it gives me of a simpler, more "friendly" period of time, before all the nastiness we seem to be having in our polarized world today. I never did actually go "downtown" (Chicago) to take the Novice test but now that I'm retired and being limited by MS...and old age ;-) who knows: maybe there's a HAM license in my future. Anyways, thanks again to you and your talented videography team for stirring up some good thoughts and feelings in this old guy...GREAT JOB! God bless your future endeavors...especially with your desire to become a HAM operator. Don't abandon your dream!
Thanks for taking time out to make this video. Although this video is based in the US, the feelings expressed by these senior ham are felt and shared worldwide.
73 de 9W2V.
Nice video ! I don't understand why we have'nt this kind of video in France...We're unknow there. Many peoples dont't know what's a Ham Radio. Very sad. 73 de F4DNP..
Very nice work, Grace, your crew, and all the Hams who did a wonderful job of explaining and demonstrating a bit of what being a ham is all about. Loved it.
It's interesting, I just got interested in Amateur Radio and I'll be 51 in about 2 weeks. I said to a friend this morning that I'm officially old because I'm getting a HAM radio license. As long as I can remember this has been a past time for old men, mostly retired engineers or physicists.
One of the problems is you need time and when you are younger that's hard to find.
Nicely done! And what a kick is was to hear what a Moon bounce sounds like after being tested on it in the Tech license exam. 73 de KN6VMK
Great video, Thank you.
We need more amateur radio operators. We don’t need more expert ones. Those develop on their own with a bit of encouragement and guidance from elmers, but we need more people to talk to. We need more people operating radios from ski lifts and on high altitude hikes. We need more people operating from stadiums at packed games giving score updates. It’s so much better, more fun than twitter.
Excellent work. I wish people in the current mainstream media would use documentaries like this.
Almost 2 years ago , got into electronics as an hobby and passion. By wavering the internet about electronics , I discovered this hobby and I simply got fascinated. Recently , succeded to finally purchase the well know Baofeng UV-5R , one of the best radios for its price , maybe in the whole world. Also im planning to get my license this year and i look forward into getting an amp for the ht and an better antenna , doing SOTA's and having fun ! Succeded to make an contact on the PMR446 ( the non-licensed band; FRS equivlent) and I was so happy ! Im 19 at this moment.
This just solidified my decision to go through with getting my technician license. Thanks guys!
So happy to have stumbled upon this Doc...very well done! Enjoyed it, and will be waiting for more to come!
as a 23 year old this is my first introduction to HAM and I am hooked, thank you!
That was an awesome movie! Thanks for putting it out there. 73’s to the Montana crowd. Hope to work you all with my puny qrp station from South Dakota. De n5vwn
Thank you for posting this!
Bill N4ITE. Very well done! I will forward this to a friend who is showing interest in ham radio.
Extremely well done video - the best that I've seen. I always encourage folks to get started in it even at a low level so they have some communications experience for emergencies/disasters.
And yes, the observation that CW/Morse Code operators tend to be better overall holds.
73 DE N4HPG
This was fantastic! My late grandfather was an Amateur Radio hobbyist in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. When I was a kid, I’d go & spend every school holidays there & hang out with him in his radio shack. Such good times! I’m now 40 & this documentary has now motivated me to go get my own license.
This is a terrific documentary and I want to thank you for interviewing these good folks about their experiences as HAMs. I’ve always had an interest as much in the technology as the people who the pastime specifically attracts: generally those who are problem solvers and aren’t afraid to fail to succeed.
Excellent work by the Students! Enjoyed watching this
Excellent documentary. Much appreciated for you students taking on this project Thanks
Great documentary! I'm taking my tech exam at the end of the month!😊
Thank you for this incredible insight into amateur radio. I was a kid who loved electronics, which led to some low power pirate radio operation, which led to me getting my license and enjoying amateur radio and the amazing people. I let my license lapse in the 90s, but thanks to your film I am going to get my ticket again and rejoin my radio friends. Good luck on your testing and I think you will really enjoy amateur radio. 73s from former KE4EXB.
Great work Grace and crew!!!!
Excellent documentary. Captures the magic of amateur radio. Thanks for sharing. Mike VE3XLF
Excellent production! I've been a ham for just under a year and still can't believe how kind and welcoming everyone is. This is a community of fantastic folks, and you portrayed that perfectly.
Well done. Strong smart generous community.
Really enjoyed this ,like the moon bounce ,Well done,
I’ve wanted to get into amateur radio on and off over the years, but in my 40s I got a GMRS license and I’m studying for the Ham exam, it’s a really fun thing and very useful 😊
Good start. Good luck getting your ham ticket
Grace, this is amazing! I love the heartwarming scenes toward the end, they really loved your time there. It’s a great community, even for younger generations and I say that as a relatively younger member, I wish it was easier to get others into.
th-cam.com/video/93BRFwOowSo/w-d-xo.html
What a fantastic video. Thank you!
Very nice to see something positive about a hobby and passion for learning. I am currently a free-bander but will be testing soon for my ticket.
Awesome work! Thanks and 73 from VE3SVF :)
This is an excellent documentary! My love for Ham Radio started in 1991, I was 16 yrs old. and I'm still loving it to this day. 73 from VE3RKP
You have my respect. This is amateur radio represented on a technical and studious level. It takes ability and determination to accomplish Ham radio operations at this level.
You killed it with this video. AMAZING job. I think this represents that modern state of the hobby that I get excited about and I think it'll be the first thing that I would show people that ask 'why' I do what I do in an articulate and concise manner. Thanks so much!
th-cam.com/video/93BRFwOowSo/w-d-xo.html
Not what I expected, but so glad I watched this! Good job Ms. Grace and crew!
This is the best amateur radio documentary I’ve ever watched, very informative , descriptive and interesting, thank you for uploading this video.
Great production. It presented the hobby in a good light. Hope to see more. 73 de KI1R
Thanks very much for this, 73.
This was a good mini-doc on the subject. As a media creator and HAM I approve. The shot curation was nice, you had good sound and the story moved forward nicely. You should be proud of this work. The only thing I think that is missing is the perspective of a new ham or younger station. It's been interesting being well below the median age of the average HAM and getting into it. I started because it made for effective backcountry comms for overlanding and I've grown into the hobby. I don't mess around with HF and Dx work at all, but I do love digital modes like the APRS service and Winlink on VHF mostly. What I find most interesting about the community at large is how much time and money is personally invested to support the community. Repeaters are paid for by somebody afterall. Absolutely astonishing the efforts that go into it.
Good luck with the rest of your coursework in visual and media arts.
I’m working on creating MESH networks in Joshua tree, California on 433mhz, and LoRaWAN 915mhz, great documentary!
I spent an hour last Saturday trying to get a QSO with a Russian DXpedition in Rwanda. I finally got them in the log with 100w and a EFHW. I was so happy!😄