Senior Living for Hams
[See our big list of Ham Radio and Senior Friendly Community Links.]
There are some 750,000 FCC licensed radio amateurs ("hams") in the US and over 2 million worldwide. About half of US hams have gone beyond the entry level license to gain access to a wide range of frequencies and techniques to allow them to communicate across the world.
Many hams are entering retirement and considering a move into a retirement community. What are the opportunities and problems of trying to continue in Amateur Radio in such a community? We are finding that a number of senior living communities look with favor upon the needs of the ham operator, either as a single operator from an apartment or as a member of a club of two or more hams.
This web article is aimed at two important audiences:
- Administrators of retirement communities. What is Amateur Radio? Who are the "hams"? Why would we want to support ham radio activities in our facility?
- Radio amateurs considering how to keep active with their chosen hobby after moving to a retirement community. What's a reasonable request for an antenna? How do I approach the management? How have other hams worked out these problems?
Antenna Notes
Antennas are part of every radio amateur's life. Here are some of my notes on antennas.
- SteppIR Beam. The SteppIR antenna here has been a mainstay for ~14 years. It is a 3-element yagi-type antenna that is tunable between about 14 and 54 MHz. Mine runs at about 40 ft above ground level with a Yaesu G-1000DXA rotator. Frequency tracking is automated through a serial connection to the Flex 6500 transceiver.
- SteppIR Maintenance. Like any mechanism, the SteppIR needs occasional maintenance. Click here for information on a current set of problems at AA6E -- and their resolution (mostly).
Transition, May, 2019: Because we are moving to a new QTH (Evergreen Woods), the antennas at our Branford QTH have been removed. Hopefully, some new ones will sprout at the new location before long. See the maintenance link for a few more details.
AA6E QSL designs
AA6E will QSL (confirm contact or SWL reception) 100% on request. You may send your card direct or via the QSL Bureau. You may also QSL via the Logbook of the World (LOTW) (preferred), eQSL, or QRZ.com.
Direct:
Martin Ewing, AA6E
28 Wood Road
Branford, CT 06405
USA