I just realized I have not spent a dime on ham radio in over a year

Which is great.

I have had people babble at me that it was an expensive hobby and that I would be throwing thousands and thousands into a bottomless pit.

I have my gear and take care of it and it really only costs pennies in electricity to run my little home station.

I suppose that over time I am going to have parts and components wear out or fry and have to be replaced but that's just about every field of endeavor you get into.

I an sitting here and thinking of my next radio maintenance project and it looks like I even have the parts kicking around to take that project on as a freebie. I am thinking of adding more radials to my 43 foot vertical antenna. It is certainly not a priority.

Still, a decent HF station is not all that expensive. I just ran what my workhorse station cost me and ball parked the numbers high. For example, the $279 tuner I rounded up to $300.

The entire station came to well under $1700 in basic components and if I figure $2000 it leaves me with money left over for ground radials, coax, connectors and solder. You'll have something left over, depending on if you chase sales or not.

Incidentally this includes a 43 foot vertical antenna. If you run with a more inexpensive tuner and make a wire antenna the price drops to under $1400 easily.

My figures were full retail. A lot of this can be cut back even further by catching sales. Buying used makes things even cheaper yet.

Still, if you simply use the stuff and don't abuse it the equipment should last for quite some time.

All in all ham radio can be a cheap hobby if you want it to be and it can be just as satisfying as spending a pile of money on it. 




To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY