2E0RMI

I am one of those unusual breed of hobbyists known as a 'radio ham'. This means not only do I spend too much time twiddling with radios listening in to strange sounds, but I also speak to people all over the world...

In 2006 Ann & I attended a talk given by Carl Thompson from the Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society about his time in the 1960's as chief engineer for Radio Caroline. Ann innocently suggested that I become a radio ham, so I can genuinely blame her for all that followed...!

I passed my UK foundation licence later that year & subsequently my intermediate licence which gives me the UK callsign of '2E0RMI', & since then I have intermittently spent time playing with all types of transmitters & aerial systems resulting in wires all over the garden supported by masts & scaffold poles in the apple tree. I say 'intermittently' because it's the sort of hobby that you can pick up & put down whenever you so wish depending on other commitments. 

Currently I'm less active on amateur radio than in the past, but still keep my interest by tuning around the bands & always intend to pick up the hobby again later on - when time allows! We also normally attend the monthly meetings organised by CARS - Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society - who arrange a good variety of talks & get-togethers.

Over the years we've visited some interesting locations in the pursuit of this hobby, normally with the intention of transmitting from unusual places. Windmills, lighthouses, lightships, RNLI stations, mountain tops, airfields - & many other places we probably would not have got to see. I've also had some fine & unusual conversations with people near & far, from normal everyday chats to sitting on a mountain top in North Wales chatting to someone in Australia driving to collect his son from McDonalds at the end of a night shift!

People have said to me - 'well you can talk to someone nowadays the other side of the world on a mobile phone...' & yes that's true, but I have to say that I would not get into a random conversation with someone I don't know in different parts of the world on a phone. Amateur radio on the other hands opens up such conversations.

The hobby has significantly changed over the past 20+ years & whilst some find new aspects of amateur radio challenging, I consider new technologies have enhanced our hobby. Sending low power data signals, using satellites, tuning in to transmissions from the International Space Station, testing aerial systems - have all been an enjoyable part of this interest.