So, as if I don't already have enough stuff in my life to keep things interesting, I recently got started in the hobby of ham radio.
I've had at least a curiosity about amateur radio for as long as I can remember, but just had never taken the dive to get licensed. Even as a young child I was fascinated with walkie-talkies and CB radio. With the ubiquity of mobile phones and nearly universal internet connectivity, ham radio probably seems very "old-school", even outdated, but I believe it's still very valid and useful, even today.
Part of what draws me to ham radio is that there is this whole community of people being intentional about maintaining equipment and skills that could really be essential if(when?) we have a major disaster that takes out most/all of the communication infrastructure that we've come to depend on. Whether it's solar flares, hackers, or some other unforeseen threat, we've certainly seen that the system is vulnerable. I want to be part of the group that is willing and able to help if the need arises.
Here in the SF Bay area, there is a group of volunteers building a "disaster internet", a wireless mesh network that can facilitate emergency communication in case the regular internet becomes compromised. You can learn more about that project here: https://sfwem.net/
If you're into this stuff too, or interested in getting started, let me know! I'd be happy to talk shop. 73 ... K6DRX