Any amateur radio operators that could help me?

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Hi,

Iam really new to forums, so please excuse me.

I have held my uk foundation licence for about a year now, and am struggling to get over the anxiety of speaking on it. I have spent many of years listening to the bands, and decided to take my test, which I passed first time.

I have an experienced ham friend that helps me out with the technical side of the hobby, but the problem seems to be actually using my radio. Take this morning for instance, ive spent the whole morning just sat in front of the radio, wanting to speak, but just ended up listening. I so desperately want to over come the anxiety, and enjoy the hobby.

I have had a few qso's over the year and have had some great results, but I think my confidence and anxiety are causing me problems.

Kind Regards
Radiooperator

Congratulations on getting your license.

One problem I had was that when I tried to discuss it on Usenet about twenty years ago, all I encountered on the (or a) ham radio group seemed to think that collecting QSO cards was the only reason to use amateur radio and were very obnoxious at anyone interested in any other aspect of it. They pretty much soured me on the whole thing and made me want to away from it.

I've been licensed in the US since 2012 and I find that I have a LOT of anxiety around calling CQ or answering another ham's CQ. It took me a while before I could join a net. Talking with other hams on ham forums, it seems to be a relatively common thing for hams to have "mic fright", even NT hams. The big thing in the US is "contesting" where hams simply sit on a frequency all weekend and call CQ for anybody in a specific area. Considering that the "prizes" for doing so usually consist of a diploma or a pin or something simple like that, I view contesting as a big waste of time. Calling CQ all Saturday for any ham in Outer Dogpatch to answer so I can get a stupid piece of paper saying I have the third highest level of contacts with Outer Dogpatch hams? Waste of time. But some people live for it. Go figure. I can PM you if you want with the url of an old thread I made on eHam forums about this.

Hi,

Thankyou for the the response.

As I have now got my station built, its a bit too late to just walk away, however, I can relate to the struggles you have had.

That would be greatif you could pm me pezar, also with any tips how you overcome the micfright. Ive been listening to the bands for years before I was licenced, so it isnt as thought I dont know what I am doing. I cant imagine what it would be like for nt's not to have the social anxiety, and general anxiety that I have.

I know I was very anxious the first time I started calling CQ on the HF bands after passing my general class license test here in the states. I had been on the 2m bands for awhile but that was talking to local people that i knew from taking my tests. But talking on the bands that go world wide was very frightening the first time. But now I can use it as a means to not be such a recluse in the house. While I still and always will have issues dealing with people in person. Via the radio I can talk to someone besides myself or my dog. You just have to work up the courage to make that first few contacts. Might have helped that my first experience with the HF bands was during the so called "field day" where the actual contact time with each station is short and is an exchange of pre arranged material for the contest thats going on. Hope to catch you on the air some time. 73's Mike (aka dodger) N9XLZ

Hi Mike,
Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post. I have had a little success recently, like you found with field day activities, I joined in on a contest, and had one after the other short qso's, which I think really helped me join in. For me, its being able to predict what people will say, and that seems to settle my anxiety, which I am sure will get better with experience.

Kind Regards
Paul