Here’s one of the common threads I hear from operators: “I wish my spouse/significant other would operate with me.” In any relationship, it’s natural to want to share our hobbies with our partner. But, in my opinion, we go about it all wrong.
Often, the way we try to entice them into the hobby is by geeking out over all of its intricacies, boring them with why we like ham radio. We want them to get excited about the same things we are excited about. And let’s face it, they most likely are not just like us (thank goodness). They have a completely different set of buttons that activate their excitometer. We need to accept that this is okay.
My wife and I had been married for 30-plus years, and I had been licensed for nearly ten years. She never even hinted that she cared anything about ham radio. She had her hobbies which I mustered up some excitement about, and she tried to act interested in what I was doing. Again, nothing wrong with that; we are our own independent people.
As many of you know from my previous articles, EmComm is a passion of mine. A couple of years ago, I was two years into planning with the EMA office and other partners for a total solar eclipse which would pass directly over our county. We had everything in place and were now in the implementation phase which was about two weeks out from the eclipse and “IT” happened.
My wife walked into my office and asked, “If I’m at home and you are ‘who knows where’ during the eclipse, how are ‘WE’ going to communicate?” My initial response was probably not the best, but I said, “That’s what I have been asking for the last ten years!” It finally dawned on her that this ham radio thing was not just a money pit—it had a real-life purpose.
She committed to studying and asking questions. She then took the test earning her Technician class license. I helped her get an aviation-themed vanity call sign to celebrate as she is a private pilot. She felt a little better about our ability to stay in touch, and I was happy she was showing a little interest in why I love ham radio.
Being the critical thinker that she is, she followed up with this question: “This is all well and good if we are in the same county, but what if we are not in the same county.” We both are active in Civil Air Patrol Emergency Services, but due to our different mission qualifications, we may not be in the same part of the state. The answer to the question is, of course, earn a General class license and use HF.
So, she did. After a lot more studying and a TON more questions, she earned her General license a few months later. This is probably where it will end for her. Now we are spending time teaching her how to set up the portable equipment and make contact over longer distances.
I shared our amateur radio journey because we all have someone who we wish liked ham radio even just a little bit. We will never convert them by beating them over the head with our idea of fun. Let them warm up to it at their pace. Be willing to answer their questions. Don’t overwhelm them but tell them what they want to know and let them digest it.
I know why I like amateur radio. Whether it is a spouse, child, friend or someone you just met, take time and find THEIR why.
