I’m afraid there may be some misconceptions about ham radio operators.

Let me start with a descriptive list about them.

Not every ham radio operator is:

• Stuck in their ways
• Adverse to change
• Unwilling to learn
• Rigid
• Inflexible
• Curmudgeonly
• Ultraconservative

Some of us are:

• Explorers
• Dreamers
• Learners
• Teachers
• Ambitious
• Adaptive
• Hopeful
• Optimistic
• Disruptive
• Innovative
• Progressive
• Rebellious

Granted, there are some who embody the former list. They are often the loudest, and – as we know – the loudest voices in the group are often mistaken for the group as a whole. But ham radio operators are diverse. They do not all share the same reason for becoming licensed, nor do they share the same interests. The only commonality is radio.

I urge you not to be turned off by those cantankerous complainers. There is a niche for everyone in ham radio. Perhaps DPCN is the niche for you.

• noise
• perception
• optimism