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Musings from 527 : Let it Breathe

Hey folks, It’s WRCU527 Darren here with an observation.

We’ve been asking for members to contribute some content for our website and newsletter to create additional value for everyone. Here is my go at it.

Let it breathe.

A while ago, a good friend and I were recalling a former user that would talk quite a bit, not for any nefarious reasons – he could just spin a yarn at any given moment. Some folks shared that the excessive and sometimes repetitive yammering was annoying. It kind of was in my mind too. My friend just said “Man, you gotta let it breathe”

At first I didn’t completely understand… was he talking too much, maybe they were hot-keying? Huh…

Last Sunday while listening to the net, I was struck as to the change in the vibe when WRKC705 Lance (expertly) finished the early check-ins and WRJR618 Brian moved on to the cattle call. The cacophony of the earlies, with everyone trying to get in over each other, yielded to a rhythmic flow of acknowledgements and exchanges… conversational and relaxed. It felt good.

It was breathing.

I think about that now when I’m having a QSO or part of a round table. Are we letting it breathe, pausing and inviting others in. Sometimes it makes sense to move to standalone or QSY to the Sidecar. Other times it may make more sense to keep it brief and it feels like a phone call, maybe that is more appropriate.

Just remember to let the radio breathe a bit. Give everyone else a chance to talk.

4 thoughts on “Musings from 527 : Let it Breathe”

  1. I can appreciate this, but I raise, breed and break them mustangs to be qauter race horses 🙂 To let them breath is always a good thing. But their there to be broke, some at point they also need a ride.

    I love when I get to hear our admins riding them waives, just like anyone with a scanner likes to listen in and but also not key up. But to breath everything needs to recover and not ever ride needs to be had. Great words of wisdom thanks for sharing. -Adam

  2. Thanks for the contribution. Good thoughts which I concur.

    I have to read up on this Sidecar thing. I didn’t know it existed.

  3. This is Rick K5RIC / WQHJ343 and a few other calk signs over the years. Ham radio and GMRS are both very useful for daily and emergency uses, but they both are hobby personal use radio services. When needed they can be used very well for formal public service support daily and emergency uses. But the rest of the time seeing someone connect to his or her fellow operators socially is just fine. If you have an emergency or even just need to call your family member and say I will be home in x minutes. Just politely break in and request a short beak to make your call. Ot if its an actual emergency ask for the frequency to take care of it. Radio was the very first social networking system and its over a 100 years old. The professional radio operators will even say some non official messages now and then. The radio intercept operators in the USA and Russia would send a merry Christmas to each other in morse code each Christmas. Such acts were a violation of each sides procedure but the OPs would do it every year.

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