Today is World Amateur Radio day.
So what?
Amateur radio operators — more informally known as hams — have often been the catalyst for technological breakthroughs, from cell phones to, well, radio itself.
Hams also were among the first users of personal computers. The Homebrew Computer Club, where Jobs and Woz first demonstrated the Apple I, was started by hams.
I got my FCC license in the late 1970s — this photo shows my basement “ham shack”, the star of which is a Heathkit transceiver that I built (and still have!). My interest in ham radio led to my interest in those early personal computers.
Which pretty much brings us up to the present, and this important reminder: breakthrough don’t always start with business plans, presentation decks, and venture capital. They start with a personal passion.
If you run into a ham radio operator, tell them “73”. That's a ham abbreviation created for quicker transmissions via Morse code and it means “best regards”.
—73
#amateurradio #hamradio
Thank you for the recognition! We’re proud to call Maryland home as we build innovative wireless communication solutions for defense, government, and commercial applications. Together, we’re building a more secure, connected future.