Seven common misconceptions about amateur radio are discussed. It is summarized that amateur radio is not a dead hobby with over 700,000 licensed operators in the US, Morse code tests are no longer required for licensing, while some vintage equipment remains, modern radios use sophisticated digital technologies, the internet complements rather than replaces amateur radio by connecting operators worldwide, the hobby attracts people of all ages and genders, not just older men, and humorously only 95% rather than all operators are described as nerds.

1. Seven Misconceptions
About Amateur Radio
Dan Romanchik, KB6NU
www.KB6NU.com, cwgeek@kb6nu.com

2. #1. Amateur radio is a
dead hobby
This is far from the truth. There are now more than
700,000 licensed radio amateurs in the U.S. and
more than 2 million around the world.

3. #2. You need to know
Morse Code.
The Morse Code test was eliminated for the
Technician Class license more than 20 years ago,
and it has since been eliminated for the other
license classes. You don’t need to pass a code test
to get an amateur radio license!

4. #3. Amateur radio is
obsolete technology.
Some amateur radio operators enjoy using vintage
equipment that uses vacuum tubes, but modern
transceivers, are very sophisticated. They have
multiple embedded processors and perform some
very advanced digital signal processing.

5. #4. You need to be an
electronics genius to be a
ham.
To get the most out of amateur radio you do need to
have some knowledge of how radio works, but you
don’t need to be an electronics engineer to enjoy the
hobby.

6. #5. The Internet means the
death of amateur radio.
Amateur radio operators have embraced the
Internet. Using Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP)
technology, for example, amateur radio operators
have networked their local repeaters with repeaters
all over the world. And, the Internet provides a
wealth of information about amateur radio, more
than we would have dreamed of in the days before
the Internet.

7. #6. Amateur radio is a
hobby for old men.
The median age of amateur radio operators is
probably somewhere north of 40, but there are still
plenty of women and kids in amateur radio. 30% of
the members in our club, for example, are women,
and I have had many women and young people in my
amateur radio classes.

8. #7. All amateur radio
operators are nerds.
Actually, only 95% of licensed amateur radio
operator are nerds. We can’t figure out how the
other 5% got their licenses.

9. Dan “Mythbuster” Romanchik, amateur
radio callsign KB6NU, blogs about the
truth of amateur radio at
KB6NU.Com. For more information
about amateur radio, e-mail him at
cwgeek@kb6nu.com.

10. Dan “Mythbuster” Romanchik, amateur
radio callsign KB6NU, blogs about the
truth of amateur radio at
KB6NU.Com. For more information
about amateur radio, e-mail him at
cwgeek@kb6nu.com.