Some ham radio operators default mode is grumpy. They will never be happy, no matter what is posted. Here’s the proof.
A few weeks ago I published a video on the super antenna mp1dxmax kit. Although there are always lots of positive comments, the haters are never far away with comments like
- That’s just a dummy load
- Who’s going to pay that much for an antenna
- Just get yourself a dipole and be done with it
- Just hang a wire antenna in a tree
- Another coil presenting good swr but won’t radiate
- If that’s not free, there’s no chance I’m going to waste my money on it.
When I posted the chameleon P Loop 2.0 video a few days ago, the responses received were very similar.
- That’s nothing more than a dummy load
- Only an idiot would pay for a variable capacitor and a few feet of coax cable.
- I’ll wait until the Chinese copy it and get it for a reasonable price
- You’re getting paid to make these b******* reviews
- I could build a kilowatt mag loop with a vacuum capacitor for that money
- You’re just an appliance operator. I built my 40m tuna can 30 years ago and it’s still running off the original 9v battery.
Most of the time you never see these comments because I filter the comments on my videos. If someone politely says ” that’s cost-prohibitive” that type of comment will certainly stay. But when operators are just being hateful for the sake of being hateful, those comments will be deleted and the user is banned. This is actually a shame because a well presented argument against the cost, build or commercialization of a product, would be valuable to manufacturers, provided the comments are not presented in the hateful way. In fact I think manufacturers can learn much more from watching and engaging with us through our dialogue, rather than the negative and hateful comments routinely shared in this community.
The problem with amateur radio operators criticizing things which cost money, is something I truly don’t understand, since there is always the option to build. I’ll give you another example.
When I first started my channel, I often featured very many Android apps from developers around the world. I haven’t abandoned that but I received so much hate for apps which only cost a couple of dollars. Apps which are actually the only viable solution for ultra-portable amateur digital Communications, with a hand held device. Seriously? I mean they’re just a couple of bucks! What this means is, the haters will hate for something that costs the same as a Snickers, or costs the same as a new computer, without actually caring what problems the solution solves, what type of r&d and engineering went into the development and manufacturer of the solution, …
Don’t even get me started on those operators who think everything in amateur radio should be free. Of course if someone has the skills, the time, and the financial stability to build something, and give it away for free, go for it! Just don’t attack an unemployed developer who codes a magnificent android app for amateur radio, and wants to get paid for it, while he’s looking for a new job. I don’t see the problem with that!
If you don’t like it, don’t buy it. If you have the skills to build it, do so, then publish the plans free for the community. What you shouldn’t do is going around criticizing the hard work of men and women who contribute well engineered software, hardware, products, to the amateur radio community, while you contribute nothing, free or commercial.
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