HAM RADIO IS NOT MERELY TALKING

People say Mac Donald is American Ambassador, the money making ambassador. Likewise being an amateur is also an ambassador. A ham represents his country. Once you are on the air you are potraying your country. If you are on local frequency you are still heard by many foreigners and needless to say if you are on DX band. Usually the main language of communication is English, not because the hobby originated by the English speaking people but because it is the plain language of the world.

When you are talking you are also transmitting your culture and knowledge or even your level of education.Pomposity and bragging do not broadcast our level of education but the courtesy does, the choice of words and phrases and how we present our facts. Of course to be save we keep things short. Inspite of that we have to make sure we observe some of the normal practices like not to tune or call on frequencies used by others, and follow the right SOP.

It takes one rude person to paint the the image of the country black.

Ham radio was a respectable hobby before and it was even quoted as the King of the Hobby. Today many people look at ham radio with disdain. Computer communication can do more than the ham radio, they said. Several people said the speciality of ham radio provide free communication especially among family members. Some say 'we can go mobile...'Other say 'We can make money out of it..'

The maker of amateur radio as a hobby has laid down rules, regulations and requirements. The involvemen of the authorities is to ensure the shared airwaves is clear off disturbances and to make sure radio equipments are not used to destabilize a nation's security. Though the owner of ham radio is dead but the spirit should be let alive. The rules, regulations and requirements should not be changed by anyone else. The original philosophy of ham radio should live forever.

A ham should have a certain quality. It has to pass a certain rules. Many clubs and organizations have their own rules. Not everyone can be a member. Passing RAE and being awarded a licence by the authority is not enough. A normal person wouldn't want to have a drug pusher to be his in-law, or having an in-law who might say 'hey old man, when you are going to die and go to hell !!!'. Ethics, good behaviour, persons who do not go round looking for troubles, no cheaters, no liars and no rude persons should be a ham.

We have heard guys using Indonesian lingo shouting and swearing on the air at people who speak English. Ones can hide ones identity but ones manners is still within oneselves. We heard people's callsigns were being used and callsigns for clubs and repeaters were used as own call for DX stations. These are all pertaining to unethical practices. These people are not qualified to be called amateur radio operators.

When working with a DX stations courtesy and pertinent must be observed. You may be talking to a President, Priminister or even a King. The authority must bare this in mind too so that it will always monitor and observe the behaviour the local radio operators. Whenever radio pirates invade a certain radio frequencies, people would curse and blame their government and show less respect towards their citizens. Look at our local politics; leardership was blamed for the loss of a few states to the opposition parties. At one time it was said that The Russian government was testing something that cause very heavy QRM, which was known as Russian Helicopters. Many hams refused to talk to Russian stations then and some were heard scolding the  Russian amateurs. As we know the disturbances were not caused by the Russian hams, yet the world was angry at the nation and the people. Hence the MCMC must keep the licencees informed of ethics and manners the licencees must follow.

We fear the habitual rude guys tarnishing bad image of the country. It is up to all fellow hams too to stop all nonsense. The training of the descipline has to be done at the earlier stage. We should not condone any bad behaviour and attitudes, and persons with bad mouth. The spirit and sanctity of ham radio must be upheld and defended. Though the authority is responsible for the doings of the licencees, all licence hams are equally answerable.

Ham radio is not merely a hobby. It is also a responsibility. It is not merely talking but what you are talking, what come out of our mouth.

Ham Radio was used to bring down a polical leader in one of the countries in Southeast Asia before. During the People's Power campaign for almost all 40 meter band spectrums were used. Many hams were monitoring this. I am sure none of the officers in the MCMC had the experience of monitoring the events. The recent happening in Malaysia could be a beginning if nothing is done about it. Nothing in the law prohibits its use for politics or religion. If the MCMC thinks it is OK then later UMNO, PAS, DAP and other political parties will use it as political tools. It is not merely for campaigning but also for something elses. Pirates and non-pirates will do it. If the licence ham do not do it the non-lcence people will do it.

Of course the easiest way is to call MARTS or MCMC to put a stop to it. HOW ? Legal action ? Forfeit amateur licence ?

Look carefully at the act, study the strength of guidelines and understand human behaviours. If it is not in the act and a guideline is not an act then it has a legal implication. What can MARTS do ? What will the MCMC do ? You tell the guy to stop it. Surely he will respect your advice. When somebody else starts doing it and then somebody else and somebody else.....?

The structure and practice of acquiring amateur licence today does not allow enough time for radio education; on sSWLing, developing a good ethics, and learning manners. The use of 4 letter word, babi and other vulgar words on radio by Malaysians were heard before.  Remarks on those who speak English were thrown out many times. Rude behavious do not only confine to 2 meters but also on other HF bands.

In schools if students fail the exam, becoming gangsters and kick their teachers the teachers and school principal get the blame. Someone even had suggested to bring the parents to court if their kids committed crimes. Recently someone asked Pak Lah to resign because of the reduction of  Barisan's seats. WHY ? People are talking of accountability and responsibility. Who should be accountable for the recent happening in the country ? Of course the blame game will begin again.

Should the structure be changed and revert to the old system ?

We can call for the enforcement of the law but the authority does not see our way.

The easiest way is just to ignore. If you don't like the funny happenings in the ham radio then quit. Go fly kite or go fishing. There are many hobbies which have no rude people with you, not even an act or law. Mind you a computer chat is more strict than the ham radio.

You talk politics. When someone tells you, you are wrong, you ask them why wrong ? Under what section ? Why no action against known pirates ? Why only me ? After all ham radio was used in political arena before.

I don't support polical, religious and sex talks. Only the authority can formulate laws. Who advise the MCMC ?

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PLAIN LANGUAGE - What is a plain language ? Basically a plain language is a language understood by the others. In Malaysia the plain language is English or Malay. Why plain language ? Something bad can be said about you which you do not understand. In Malaysia at times other languages are being used. On HF when 2 Germans are speaking to each other they do not speak English or the local language. They speak in German using either YB or 9M callsigns. IARU had problem in defining plain language. In fact it has to redefine it from time to time. In fact the MCMC has in mind to include Mandarin and Tamil as a plain language.

I speak Mandarin to Bahar. Some others speak a few words of Japanese. Each one of you will be using other languages as well when you work some DX stations. But the amount of Mandarin or Hokien used is so very negligible which people can still understand the whole meaning of the sentences because Malay was use together with those foreign language. May be less than 1% of the total conversation is used up merely to refresh our memory. Words like 'Zhao an', "zhai zien ( chai chien)', 'swadi','dhomo arigato','putuware' won't kill the meaning of the whole sentence. In fact many Malay words are not original. Because people can understand them then they become a plain language.

Ham radio has been used to learn languages. Many Malaysians learn Thai on 7mhz until one of our hams gave a speech in the language at the SEANET convention in Thailand.

When a Malay speaks Mandarin with another Malay, it will sound different when a Chinese talk Mandarin with another Chinese. It carries different connotation. Why just listen ? Why not join in and ask the meanings of those words ? After all the total conversation was held in Malay and English.

I believe ham radio operators should know the words like dhomoarigato, zhai zien, putuware, mabuhai, cheerio and swasdi krab. Sentences like 'ni hau ma ? ' 'wo hen hau' should be able to pick up by many. Chinese is quite a big majority . We mix with them everyday. Can't we pick up a few Chinese words ? The word Wo and Ni can already be considered a plain language. There is nothing wrong for a person to learn languages . In Malaysia the Chinese community can speak Malay,English, Mandarin and the dialect. Many can speak Thai. Generally speaking survival rate increases propotionaly with the number of  lanuages one can speak.

My speaking Mandarin with Bahar is a limited vocab. It is very basic and does not carry heavy meaning. It says something 'why long time no see ? Are you busy ? I tell you, Good bye, see you again...., are you there Bahar ?".

I am not saying you are wrong if you commented that I cannot speak even a few words of Mandarin. But I am asking you, 'are you not anxious to learn other foreign languages ?' Do you choose to remain where you are ? When I heard Zainal spoke German all the way to Germany, I felt very proud. The last question is 'can't we go CW because you don't understand CW ?'

NEW BREED OF 9Ws - Thanks GOD there are more and more 9Ws are coming out to speak up of pirates and unethical conducts of fellow amateurs in our country. They disagreed with fellow hams who had been condeming the 9M2s. They noted the unethical conducts which can bring down the image of other hams too. In other words they are concern and want the hobby to be a respected. Old active hams are phasing out very rapidly. We need new ones to take over. But we come across new leadership who encourages, supports and talks to pirates. So much so I began to lose confident over the 9W2s, thinking there are all the same. But lately I realize there are many 9Ws are coming out to speak out against all those manners. My confidence begins to build up. Now I know the new breed of hams will be ready to take over.

We all will be talking to the world. We need to use the right SOP and Q-Codes correctly. We need to know some procedures which we should be training right now. Some take for granted that the SOP is simple and nothing to learn about. It is true that some DX stations do not use the right SOP and used the Q-Code incorrectly but we are not going to follow them. They might be the newcomers and failed to heed the guidance of their seniors. Calling on frequencies used or tuning right on it is considered rude. Yet many does that.

When we talk to the world we represent our country. We become ambassadors. And we have to mind our manners.

We expect bad behaviours during the time of pileup. After calling a station for many time and we are not picked up, we may mention a four letter world or likewise before we move away. The bad manners on on local band could be carried out on the DX band too. Ethics and manners on local band mind very much.

When we behave rudely we can hide ourselves but we cannot hide our race and religion. If all trouble makers are of the same race and religion, what do you expect people to think of the particular race or religion ? Observe the international political and other happenings. Today every Malaysians going overseas will be subjected to thorough checks especially to England, United States, Australia and even China and Japan. We are known as clone kings, drug pushers, counterfeiters  and may be even suspected as a terrorist. Even India and Tibet recently caught our citizens.

Another thing that I would like to mention is on 'ham spirit'. Ham spirit is not just a nightly meeting and the teh tarik affair. It means more than that. It is the sacrifice of helping another ham. Long ago we gave away co-axial plugs and cables to those who need them because they were not easy to find. We help each other to set up stations. No money. Today everything is money, even to solder a small things. Ham has become a venue for making money. Of course we don't give everything free. At least we help to find shop that supply gears for use. The late 9M2DW arranged with shops in Johor to send use co-axial cables and antenna tuner. He sacrifice his time and money to help us. This is merely an example.

Indeed we welcome the new breed of hams who we belive will determine the bright future of quality and ethical hams in the country.

IS THERE A DISCRIMINATION ? -  9M2RS has attended several SEANET and he felt that Westerners do not seem to mix with brown colored ham. I don't think so there is any discrimination going on. I am looking towards other angle.

Southeast Asian countries seem to cause heavy QRM on the band. Pirates are all over, and some hams also are causing disturbances like tuning on frequencies and calling when others were talking. The image created by rude people of this region left a big impact in other people's mind.

I believe even some Malaysians are rude on the band. Even last night we heard a terrorist type of behaviour. Only morons, gangsters and terrorist behave in such away. Even while our astronaut was talking back to earth there were deliberate QRMs going on.

Discrimination NO, wrong perception may be. It is the association of mind towards a similar stock of people. Even among Malaysians, people tend to brand a certain racial stock negatively when associating the behaviour on the band. Just observe the behaviour of some of these people. Don't be surprise if we are treated as strangers by the Westerners. It is not our skin that matters but our behavior.