QSO Today Podcast with Burt Fisher K1OIK

K1OIK

9/14/2019

Episode 267 - Burt Fisher - K1OIK

Burt Fisher, K1OIK, raised a stir and perhaps the ire of many hams with a 2008 YouTube video critical of amateur radio operators and their operating practices. While it is easy these days to have conversations with anyone who shares our opinions and beliefs, it is more difficult to have conversations with people who do not share our views. K1OIK tells his ham radio story and shares his opinions that led to the controversial video and the rest of the story in this QSO Today.

Show Notes

Fund Transcription

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Burt’s YouTube Channel
“The Truth Revealed about Ham Radio”, YouTube Video, 2008
First License: Age 14, 1959, WV2JNH
First Elmer: Dan Carter, WA2EKC, elmer
Hometown: Englewood NJ
Favorite operating mode: CW
Would be favorite operating mode: AM 3.885 using Johnson Viking Ranger
Most significant event: fall of the Berlin Wall

Burt’s Rigs:

Terms:
Harrison Electronics, Canal Street, NYC
Boxborough, MA
Shortwave radio
Zenith Transoceanic
Radio Moscow
Variac
December 7th, 1941
Vietnam War Draft
US Air Force Ground Electronics Repair
Broadcast Engineer
AG3CC Army MARS Station
1st Class RadioTelephone License
KOCB on Cape Cod
KOTZ Alaska Station
Permafrost
Blue Hills Regional, Canton, MA
Rosanne Rosanadana
Dr. Ulrich Rohde, N1UL

Greatest challenge facing amateur radio now: Tests are too easy

Excited most by: Speaking and learning about the people on the air.

Advice to new or returning hams: Get on the air and TALK to people. Ask them about themselves. Show an interest in the other guy.

The RSS Feed for all audio content from QSO today is available from here.

Please join our QSO Today community by pressing the button below. It is the best way to suggest guests and topics, and provide feedback to Eric, 4Z1UG.

Hallicrafters S-76 GC Receiver

Heathkit HW-101 HF Transceiver

Elecraft PX3 and KX3 - The "KX Line"

FlexRadio Flex-6400 HF SDR Transceiver

11 Comments

Tom Brew

9/15/2019 10:06:44 am

As always a great listen. And yes it’s about teaching, and not always about yourself. 73 Tom K3WS

Ron Gang 4X1MK link

9/16/2019 02:17:09 pm

In my mind, this is one of the more important episodes of QSO Today. I have made similar observations over the years... I always thought that the content of the QSO is no less important than contact event itself. We have this beautiful gift - let's USE it for something meaningful... communication, human contact, enriching our being. People will generally open up and start talking once you break the ice in a QSO, and you will feel that joy of making friends.
I too have similar criticism, yet I have to be careful to check my own pre-conceptions about others, and be compassionate.. Not an easy task. I feel angry when a DX-pedition is spreading contacts over the frequencies of a narrow WARC band (like 17 meters) especially on a weekend when contests have taken over the regular bands rendering them useless for regular QSOs. Yes "59" is a meaningless report in a contest, and it would be best to eliminate signal reports entirely for contests.
There are so many things in this sadly-too-short life to get angry and upset about. It's a matter of finding balance. "Lord, grant me the strength to change the things I can, the serenity to accept that which I cannot change, and the wisdom to differentiate between the two."
Burt, you are a beautiful person and I appreciate your insights, and your generosity. Good health, happiness, love and peace. de 4X1MK

Burt

12/7/2019 07:11:12 am

Thanks for the comments. Eric is very good at interviewing

Ron KF7ZN

9/18/2019 12:28:11 pm

I have been a fan of QSO Today, not missing an episode. I have learned a lot, and I have found the views and experiences of other operators very interesting. Some have caused me to pause and rethink my views, some I have not agreed with and some have reflected exactly how I view the universe. All of them though, have broadened my horizons. This episode was no exception, and after listening to Burt K1OIK, I find that I wanted to respond with a couple of my thoughts (should add up to a value of about 2.5 cents worth on today’s market for thoughts).
After receiving your email about the guest for this week, I will admit my first judgement after seeing his information on QRZ.com was not positive. However, after listening to Burt I thought he presented his views in a professional manner without a lot of rhetoric. While I did not agree with much of what he said, I did not find anything worth the vitriolic responses he says he has received. In fact, it was precisely because he was on your show, and discussed them with you, that led me to think about and write this.
For the most part I am not interested in ragchewing. I have conversations and talking to people all day long at work, community, church, ham radio clubs, etc. and I am not wanting to seek out more of it when I am on the radio. However, I really enjoy being a casual contester and a passionate DXer. I love competition. I love competing against myself and others. From this I have found great friends, mentors, conventions, opportunities to excite new licensees, technology, and a place to improve my skills. In fact, I have an article coming out in the National Contest Journal (NCJ) showing a positive experience with someone new to the hobby.
While the ARRL may not be everything we want, I believe that stopping one’s membership will not help or contribute to our hobby. It is analogous to the old saying of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I think there is good in the ARRL and it is important. Its value may differ among us, but there is value for everyone and for ham radio operators as a group. I think it is important to support anything that is trying to improve our hobby, such as CQ magazine, conventions, etc.
If hi, hi, QSL and SK are annoying then an opportunity to teach presents itself. For myself, I really do not find them important enough in the scheme of things to spend time on.
While he states that in his area only 5% are involved and do public service, I believe in my area the percentages are different, and that we have a much higher level of involvement from those that are licensed. I am fortunate to belong to clubs with great activities, testing, classes, mentoring, friendship, emergency ARES participation, community events, teaching in schools, family-oriented involvement, etc.
What I constantly read and hear as negative problems and challenges, I think are opportunities for us. Having a positive enthusiasm will excite and motivate those around you. Right now, there are so many opportunities to improve and add to our hobby. A lack of youth is an opportunity to go in to schools, enjoy their enthusiasm and the feeling that comes from sparking their interest (as Burt so aptly describes). I do not think we are losing members because things are to easy but because we need to do better about taking advantage of the opportunity to involve them. I think we are in an exciting time, with great potential for ham radio. What I am trying to say is that to achieve this potential, we will each need to contribute in a positive way and do our part which will collectively lead to great things for the hobby.

Denny Berg

9/19/2019 06:19:00 pm

Bert thanks for doing the interview with Eric. I am amazed at how you seem to enjoy looking for the faults in our hobby and fellow hams. If you would spend more time looking for the good in the hobby you might find some joy. Look at a rainbow sometime Bert and imagine reaching it's end and finding yourself a pot of joy. What a wonderful feeling that would be for you. 73 and don't take everything so seriously, Denny WB9MSM

Burt

12/7/2019 07:20:53 am

95% of my videos are positive, that is not sufficient for you?
However the 5% that are negative get more views than the other 95%.

Burt

12/7/2019 07:18:34 am

You sure do write well

Brian K1LI

9/22/2019 07:31:35 am

Right on, Denny.

Burt

12/7/2019 07:22:26 am

Brian you really outdid yourself stating the reasons for your comments.

Phil link

9/29/2019 04:35:04 am

He's a complex person isn't he? Certainly thought provoking. I've not been around enough to really know if his criticisms are valid. On the face of it some of them seem petty, but perhaps he has a point on a few. I watched the 2008 video. In that I would describe him as smug and sanctimonious, not a pleasant person in some respects, even though he probably made a few valid points. However, the man you interviewed had learnt some humility and had grown and matured in the time since. He acknowledged that he had been harsh in his criticism of others and had listened to the advice of peers. That takes some critical reflection and personal courage. So I was left feeling ambiguous about Bert in the end. And that, dear reader, is probably a good thing. 73

Burt

12/7/2019 07:26:15 am

I appreciate your comments, a good analysis and you are right some of my comments are petty. But not as petty as a lot about ham radio such as contests. Who talks to someone for 10 seconds and consider that worthwhile?

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K1OIK

Episode 267 - Burt Fisher - K1OIK

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