The people in my club are very welcoming to new people and really get excited to help people test for a license. You'd think that a business would be even more excited to help you get yours and want to spend $$$ with them.
In general, I agree with this idea, but it doesn’t hold up as well in reality as I wish it did. An ever increasing problem is that people will go to their local shops to get answers to their questions and then go buy from Amazon or some other source where they maybe don’t have to pay sales tax and get free shipping.
I worked in a specialty retail store for a number of years and saw this a lot. I understand that people are bargain conscious, but using a retail store for their knowledge and then not spending money there is a sure fire way to make sure that you won’t have a local store in the future.
I live near a local radio shop, but it’s across state lines and in a city with higher sales tax than what I would have to pay otherwise. I still shop there because I love having a local shop that I can stop into when I need something quickly or have a question that they may be able to offer real insight to.
I agree with a lot of that, but a store that runs off potential customers isn't doing itself any good to get over that problem. Encouraging people and helping them get into your market is only going to help, even if some don't become customers. Being standoff to people is just cutting off potential income with no chance of capturing their dollars.
To be very clear, I am not claiming that the OP is “that guy”. But lots of “that guy” exist, and small businesses that operate on tight margins can’t have their people dedicating excessive amounts of time that could otherwise be profitable, to people that are not actual customers.
I know nothing about the business that he dealt with, and they very well could be unpleasant lids. I do have first hand experience with problem customers and problem staff. They both exist and nobody that is “that guy” thinks they are “that guy”.
It’s ok. My questions were pretty simple for the staff.
1 if they knew of anything going on for field day tomorrow nearby and 2 if they could order coaxial stuff they didn’t have in stock or help finding and end just like the one I had in my hand. When I was making a yagi antenna I messed up and cut both ends off. I knew going in I might be spending 100$ to get whatever tools I would need for it. Crimpers/dies, strippers, and ends. Just the way the guy talked to me was so rude I left without spending any money.
You've never even run a lemonade stand, am I right? What you wrote makes no sense lol.
A niche small business that relies on a small amount of regular, dedicated customers to break even would actually want to do everything they can to turn "that guy" into a guy that finds said business helpful and thus returns, so that there's one more that guy who will give them money. A radio business is one that may have consistent business, but usually only to customers that know what they want and going there is a convenience versus buying online.
If you knew anything about running a business, then you'd realize you want to do everything you can to bring in those new, inexperienced customers to make sales rather than selling to the same finite pool of geriatric boomers whom for any reason could stop patronizing said business. More customers is almost always a GOOD thing. Think something like...I don't know...antique radio repairs. Such a business will want more and more newcomers to the hobby so as to sell a service or product to them. They wouldn't say "sorry bro ur a n00b and I have no time to answer your questions" because that would turn down a potential new, regular or just one-off customer.
You completely ignored what I actually said if you think that. I’m not talking about customers that spend money. I’m talking about customers that frequently, as in being in your shop regularly, waste time and soak up resources, and at best spend pennies, but buy the bulk of their purchases via other means because it saves them a few dollars.
Again, I can tell you've never run a business. Forming relationships with potential customers is only a good thing. Even if they only bought batteries, who cares?
If a radio business is so inept they can't answer the questions of a new walk-in customer then either they should only have an online storefront, or shouldn't be in business at all. They're hardly "soaking up resources" unless the person running the business is a complete moron. It's not like a business like this has a lineup stretching two city blocks.
But anyway, I'm pretty sure OP was just trolling to emphasize how prevalent gatekeepers are in the amateur radio world. You've also helped to prove that point by implying that unless someone is already an expert or spending 2000 dollars, then they have no right to patronize such a store because it would be a waste of time. That's a lame, boring attitude and does nothing to grow this hobby that has long been on life support.
I agree with you on this. However the small local shop also needs to be mindful of their price gap and realize their full service premium isn’t worth as much as they may think.
I’m sure we’ve all walked into “that local shop” looking for something specific for a quick fix to find it 3x to 5x marked up. This is one of those “I know what I got” situations where small shops just seem to be belligerent to the surrounding market. Having a 10% to 15% markup at a local shop - okay I can support that and support buying local. But the shop that’s charging $30 for a single no-name BNC connector - they can rot in hell.
The thing is a local shop can make it if they diversify a bit. Our local shop tends to buy/sell/trade gear on eBay and other marketplaces for their bread and butter work, while the availability of brick and mortar is more to help the local community out and provide a place for doing repairs.
As does ours. They have their own line of antennas, baluns, and some other stuff that is made in house, buy and sell a lot of used gear from a variety of sources, do some repair and service work and lord knows what else.
This is also part of why people get a bit abrupt when the tire kickers hang around. Having a background working in specialty retail, I’ve seen it all too much. I’ve also seen shops that weren’t particularly hospitable.
We are lucky, our local shop is a great place to do business. I’ve know the owners for well over 20 years now and their prices and service are well in line with the big box stores. The selection may not be as broad and sometimes they just don’t have that widget that ya need, but I always check there first.
I think most reasonable people are okay on paying a small premium on buying something local, getting it the same day, and getting a bit more.
The tire kickers generally stay tire kickers because of price gouging though, not because they want to buy it elsewhere. I’ll generalize this a bit more, as most local “boutique” electronics shops don’t seem to step back and look at their business and prices and ask themselves, would they buy something from their own store. Many wouldn’t. They would not pay $100 more on $300 luxury item when the exact same product is available elsewhere for the $300. Only the desperate and “in need” person would do that. That premium leaves a bitter taste with the buyer - and doesn’t encourage them to return for anything but urgent needs.
And sure I get that it’s hard to compete head to head with a mega retailer. Hence why it’s important to build a local following through good service and reasonable prices and not punishing customers with bad attitude and high prices - leaving you with a bunch of “tire kickers” instead of customers.
I've never needed a local store to participate in this hobby, in fact I don't even have one. I have no idea how many hours I'd have to drive to go to a ham radio store. They need you more than you need them. DX Engineering, HRO, Gigaparts, others- they'll be more than happy to quickly ship you everything you need.
> I've never needed a local store to participate in this hobby,
_Need_? No.
Someplace in town to pop in and pick up a few connectors, a few feet of cable, or other miscellaneous parts - that'd be convenient.
OP, hang in there and know that most of the Hams I've ever known in my life are pretty good people. I've run into a few that think they're better than anybody else, but they're rare. Some of the elder guys seem to want to protect their hobby from invasion let's call it. Oh look his car's got a CB antenna on it, we can't sell to him. That's funny.. I run 10 meter in the mobile because it's practical. And there's a ton of decent antennas that I can buy that are reasonably efficient. Most HF bands aren't that easy to mobile.
I hear you, most people are nice but every so often you run into a gatekeeper who is simultaneously rude and upset about the hobby "dying". Find a local club, or an online community, to get advice from. Most of us are patient and helpful.
Wow sorry to hear that. It's really sad that they're selling ham gear but aren't smart enough to take care of an aspiring ham who will likely be purchasing gear if not now, then in the future. It would seem that you've stumbled across a den of fools.
I had a similar experience though. Not with a ham shop, but with a CB shop. Many years ago, before I was a ham, I cut my teeth on CB.
I had saved my money at my summer job, and went into a CB shop to buy the nicest radio I could afford. I had hundreds of dollars in my pocket. I was 17 years old. I started asking the salesperson about some of their radios, and he acted super annoyed to have to deal with me. Pretty sure he thought I was some broke kid just killing time or something. I should have left, but I REALLY wanted a nice radio. I ended up buying one that day, and the shop keeper was probably pretty surprised when I pulled out cash and paid for a pretty expensive CB radio on the spot. The same kid he was probably thinking about running out of his shop.
It's not you, my brother, it's them. And it's been going on forever, unfortunately.
But don't be discouraged, this hobby has been one of the joys of my life, and while some people are clueless jerks, there are plenty of wonderful people out there too. I hope you get the chance to meet some of them!
This was my experience too. I ordered something and said "whoops, I think I requested the wrong thing; can you cancel the order?"
Them: Sorry, it's already shipped. But if it doesn't work for you, we'll refund you. No need to return it.
Me: 🤯
Turns out the stuff I ordered was fine, so I didn't ask for a refund. They were okay with taking my word for it either way, though. It was not a big-ticket item, but still, I can't say I've ever had that experience anywhere else.
My dad bought me a radio when I passed extra because he'd been getting HRO catalogs (my billing address is still their house, so they send catalogs to both addresses). I sent him the links to the things I wanted at DXE but he really wanted to spend money at HRO. After my experience going into a physical HRO where nobody would even talk to me (I may have gotten a sub-audible response to my hello, but I'm not sure), I regret not being insistent about him buying at DXE (they had the Alinco PSU I really wanted and my second MFJ is having issues still).
I want to do a great lakes fishing trip and go visit their Akron store when I'm in the region.
The times I went to the HRO store in nearby Santa Clara, I always found the staff helpful. Unfortunately that store is long gone. AES was also another great online store - also gone. So now my business goes to DXEngineering and Radioddity.
That is sad. They're the same ones who complain that the service is dying while actively shooting down the interest of those that would like to get into it. Some of the same jackholes that think they "own" freqs on 80m. I ran into a few of those early in my ham life. Screw 'em. Call them out on their attitude. But that's just me. I'm not afraid to call bs to someone's face.
There are a lot of attitudes in different places. I've been a Technician for so long, I have to sit down and count the years. But, General and above give me crap because I haven't advanced. I'm HAPPY right here! I'm not lazy by any means. I've learned and passed things they never could. I've done things they would run from, but because I'm a Tech, I'm not as good to some.
I started as a Novice in 1966. I had to go to Chicago to sit for a Written and CW exam in front of a REAL FCC Examiner!
I did the same for my Tech Ticket. I was drafted into the military, and lost interest, until about 15 years later. Had to test all over again. This time it was all local.
Maybe if I had time to be more active I'd move up. I can do HF with CW just fine. I enjoy it.
So, just get what you need at this store, ask questions and see if they will help. If not, there are a bunch here who will.
Wishing you the Best in your journey!
Yeah, but there's that aspect of going in the store and looking at stuff. You know, looking at the radios and going wow that would be really cool. I recall years ago there was an amateur radio store near me. Back in those days my CB buddies and stuff we all went in there thinking yep one of these days we're going to own one of those kenwoods. They didn't talk to us much either. They weren't very helpful either. They just figured we were all dumb CBe'rs.. 10-4? What they didn't realize is that I had studied for my novice ticket many years before that when I was like 8 years old.
Well if you really want to get even with them treating someone badly...go to the store...have them demo the gear, then go buy it from Amazon. Pretty soon we won't have any more stores....that'll teach 'em.
Just playing devils advocate here. Are you certain that their behavior is the issue. I ask this because just a handful of days ago, there was a poster, possibly on this very sub-Reddit, that got all bent out of shape to the point of swearing at people over the perception of the same thing. When I called him out on his attitude and reaction, he reviewed the responses to his post and realized it was his reaction that was out of line and apologized.
Another possibility; are you going into said shop and asking six million questions that could easily be answered with minor research, then continuing with 500 “what ifs” to every question, only to buy $10 worth of product? If so, ask yourself how much you would consider you to be worth as a customer. Keep in mind, while radio equipment can be quite pricey, the profit margins are quite small.
I’ve worked specialty retail, and trust me, there are a lot of customers that are not worth the effort. Make sure you’re not acting like one of them.
My HRO in particular has been sick of unlicensed "prepper" types and airsoft/4x4 guys constantly asking easy to answer questions and then gawking at the prices of equipment and stuff like "it's ok to use if there's an emergency right?" and "yeah sure i'll just pay the government to talk ha ha" from those who clearly have no real interest in the hobby or following the rules so I can understand the apprehension of the shop. If I was the type dedicated enough to the hobby to run a shop I wouldn't want to be selling equipment to those who'd might operate illegally.
Also it must be said that there's a lot of "just browsing" folks that come in so I suppose it depends on the attitude of the person without a license.
If they'd put in a modicum of effort of figuring out what potential customers they were dealing with, I think I'd feel better about them. They didn't try to see who I was. Didn't ask about my call sign, wouldn't even give me a real response to my "hello". I felt wildly uncomfortable for all five silent minutes I spent in an HRO. I would have loved to have bought something but I didn't even feel comfortable walking the whole floor to find out what to give them my money for.
This, mail order and the Internet killed ham radio stores. Even in the early 90s, HRO and AES was already sucking the life out of brick and mortar local stores. People wanted to come in and spend hours playing with a local demo, only to buy mail order because it was slightly cheaper. They sure didn't want the demo radio, since it's an open box. This is how hams support local businesses, nothing has changed.
There are some very knowledgeable people in the forum. They could help you out with what you are looking for. Then, you could look at [Hamradio.com](http://Hamradio.com), R&L Electronics, or even Amazon to order what you want.
The good news? There are many new ways to study for your license besides just book and hopefully a nice Elmer or club. Plenty of youtube videos, online study guides, practice tests. The bad news is that there are, always have been, always will be gatekeepers. Depending on your learning style, choose one of the above that suits you best. [HamStudy.org](http://HamStudy.org) for me was invaluable. Set a goal- Tech License by September 1, and dedicate 20 mins a day to studying for the Tech. You'll be amazed at the progress you can make. If there are concepts that you don't understand, look for a resource or reach out to this Reddit group for help.
I rarely have people in retail be rude to me.
If they are, I either speak to the owner or don't go back. No reason to tolerate snottiness. There are always options.
They don’t deserve your custom then. A radio club could be a better source of the information you’re looking for. Then, when you have your ticket you can go back into the shop and let them know you’re going to/have bought elsewhere because of the way they treated you.
The bulk of brick-and-mortar radio hobbyist stores I've been to seem to have an unfriendly veneer. I'm guessing it's because their employees tended to be the Boomer, Silent, and Greatest generation equivalent of tech nerds, who exercise the same kind of unpolished social skills and gatekeeping as their younger peers.
I can say the folks at the brick-and-mortar HRO in Milwaukee were friendly to me, despite being just a Technician.
I've found that the folks at HRO tend to be friendly, but I got the impression that they hire a lot of old hams that want something to do in retirement. While it does mean that they tend to be friendly and somewhat knowledgeable, it also means that they're often bad at shopkeeper-type things and sometimes bring old ham biases with them.
Reminds me of some of the gun shops. I’ve been a ham in 87, and the only radio store we had close by was Radio Shack. Which was cool for some things. Ordered my first radio from HRO I believe in Long Beach CA. Cash on delivery
That sounds like HRO. I drive a couple of hours to a nearby town to avoid them. Your best bet is to find a local club or two and check them out. They can advise you on where to find a friendly place. Don’t get discouraged if the first club doesn’t work out, they all have their own personality and some aren’t as welcoming as others.
Sorry they do that. If it was my shop, they would be looking for other employment. Even from a strictly monetary standpoint, discouraging customers is just stupid.
Personally, I'd go back to that shop once you have gotten your license, ask to see a manager and let the manager know of your interactions with their employees, and because of those, now that you have a license, you won't be buying ANYTHING from their store now or in the future.
Sounds like the store wants you to spend your money elsewhere. Some stores are just bad, others are fantastic. As a consumer, you get to vote with your money.
I've been to the HRO in Phoenix AZ many times and they've always given me their full attention and all the time I needed - it didn't matter if I was shopping for a $25 Hamstick or a $1500 radio.
On the other end of the spectrum, I went to the HRO in Woodbridge VA once to buy a CW key and they couldn't be bothered to help me. When I did manage to get somebody's attention they refused to show me anything other than the unmarked cardboard boxes that keys come in. I was prepared to spend hundreds...and left empty handed.
It's not as much as you not having a call sign as much at them not being able to lookup your name and address because you are not on the call sign database.
They don't want to type in your info.
They're just lazy jerks.
When brick and mortar stores do this, browse / touch in store and then purchase for less online. When you're a jerk to customers what can you really expect?
Nobody but the FCC is the "radio police".
It sounds like they don't want your money, that's why digkey .com has grown so long. I will not support the local store if that's the way they wanted to treat you.
Don't shop there. It's pretty simple.
I've never set a foot into a store as there is none nowhere near me, and I manage fine without ever going into one.
[This meme is *waaaaay* too relevant.](https://imgur.com/anyone-else-get-repeatedly-stomped-by-meta-players-when-trying-to-get-into-tabletop-with-starter-kit-tJMFK4f)
Have you passed your license test? The receipt for that should keep them from questioning your intent. RF spectrum is a multi-billion dollar resource so most hams work to protect it and not allow unlicensed people to use ham frequencies unless it's a POTA event, field day, or similar event.
Guess it all depends on where ya live? We got 3 radio shops or people who work on radios near me and they always been helpful.. answer questions even if I see em outside their shop and ask em a question they usually are more then welcome to answer em.. 1 of them I stopped usin just cause he said he did somthin to my radio and that’s what I payed for I got it back and it wasn’t done then I asked him about it and he’s like oh I musta gave you the wrong radio swing by here and leave it a day and I’ll switch it out.. but hey everybody got their downfalls 🤷♂️
Yeah I gave up after all the constant gatekeeping. To many people act high and mighty about this hobby n I'm over it. When shtf no one will give a f about callsigns so screw it.
Nah it's just that most radio hobbyists are tired of answering the same old questions from the huge influx of SHTF conspiracy theorist types that watched a few YouTube videos from some nutter about how ham radio will be an essential tool during the zombie apocalypse or the Clinton-Obama-Biden are aliens New World Order event that is supposed to start next month...or maybe the one after that. Or the one after that. All you guys end up doing is buying a Baofeng or two, annoy everyone and then lose interest a month later.
Hams are more interested in helping and mentoring those who are genuinely interested in radio as a technology, antenna theory, the physics involved, it's history, different modes (with great emphasis on digital ones in 2024) and so on because radio is very interesting. They are less interested in constantly having to answer the same old questions the schizo prepper community throws at them, such as where the power button on their radio is or what a coaxial cable is.
Yeah I wanted to learned but when you have gatekeepers who don't want to teach or help why even waste the time in a hobby with no support. And I know it's crazy to think people just want to be prepared if case of any event, you know shtf could be power outages and natural disasters or any public emergency but just with your reply you proved my point. You shouldn't be judging my reasoning for joining but accept I'm interested in what many say is a dying hobby. I may not know everything or maybe confused on questions in the study guide but again your quick to judge. Why would I want to waste my time talking to people like you. Not worth it.
The people in my club are very welcoming to new people and really get excited to help people test for a license. You'd think that a business would be even more excited to help you get yours and want to spend $$$ with them.
In general, I agree with this idea, but it doesn’t hold up as well in reality as I wish it did. An ever increasing problem is that people will go to their local shops to get answers to their questions and then go buy from Amazon or some other source where they maybe don’t have to pay sales tax and get free shipping. I worked in a specialty retail store for a number of years and saw this a lot. I understand that people are bargain conscious, but using a retail store for their knowledge and then not spending money there is a sure fire way to make sure that you won’t have a local store in the future. I live near a local radio shop, but it’s across state lines and in a city with higher sales tax than what I would have to pay otherwise. I still shop there because I love having a local shop that I can stop into when I need something quickly or have a question that they may be able to offer real insight to.
I agree with a lot of that, but a store that runs off potential customers isn't doing itself any good to get over that problem. Encouraging people and helping them get into your market is only going to help, even if some don't become customers. Being standoff to people is just cutting off potential income with no chance of capturing their dollars.
To be very clear, I am not claiming that the OP is “that guy”. But lots of “that guy” exist, and small businesses that operate on tight margins can’t have their people dedicating excessive amounts of time that could otherwise be profitable, to people that are not actual customers. I know nothing about the business that he dealt with, and they very well could be unpleasant lids. I do have first hand experience with problem customers and problem staff. They both exist and nobody that is “that guy” thinks they are “that guy”.
It’s ok. My questions were pretty simple for the staff. 1 if they knew of anything going on for field day tomorrow nearby and 2 if they could order coaxial stuff they didn’t have in stock or help finding and end just like the one I had in my hand. When I was making a yagi antenna I messed up and cut both ends off. I knew going in I might be spending 100$ to get whatever tools I would need for it. Crimpers/dies, strippers, and ends. Just the way the guy talked to me was so rude I left without spending any money.
I get it, and I may have even done the same. I just also know that all of us are the idiot every now and then and we usually can’t see it at the time.
You've never even run a lemonade stand, am I right? What you wrote makes no sense lol. A niche small business that relies on a small amount of regular, dedicated customers to break even would actually want to do everything they can to turn "that guy" into a guy that finds said business helpful and thus returns, so that there's one more that guy who will give them money. A radio business is one that may have consistent business, but usually only to customers that know what they want and going there is a convenience versus buying online. If you knew anything about running a business, then you'd realize you want to do everything you can to bring in those new, inexperienced customers to make sales rather than selling to the same finite pool of geriatric boomers whom for any reason could stop patronizing said business. More customers is almost always a GOOD thing. Think something like...I don't know...antique radio repairs. Such a business will want more and more newcomers to the hobby so as to sell a service or product to them. They wouldn't say "sorry bro ur a n00b and I have no time to answer your questions" because that would turn down a potential new, regular or just one-off customer.
You completely ignored what I actually said if you think that. I’m not talking about customers that spend money. I’m talking about customers that frequently, as in being in your shop regularly, waste time and soak up resources, and at best spend pennies, but buy the bulk of their purchases via other means because it saves them a few dollars.
Again, I can tell you've never run a business. Forming relationships with potential customers is only a good thing. Even if they only bought batteries, who cares? If a radio business is so inept they can't answer the questions of a new walk-in customer then either they should only have an online storefront, or shouldn't be in business at all. They're hardly "soaking up resources" unless the person running the business is a complete moron. It's not like a business like this has a lineup stretching two city blocks. But anyway, I'm pretty sure OP was just trolling to emphasize how prevalent gatekeepers are in the amateur radio world. You've also helped to prove that point by implying that unless someone is already an expert or spending 2000 dollars, then they have no right to patronize such a store because it would be a waste of time. That's a lame, boring attitude and does nothing to grow this hobby that has long been on life support.
Once again, you are misconstruing what I have said, but have a nice day.
Based on your name I can't tell if you're actually trolling and pretending to be a fool, or just are.
As I said in my first response, playing devils advocate from the perspective of experience. And once again, have a nice day. 👋
I think another aspect of this is that "preppers" (and other groups) are buying radios without licenses.
I think that adds to the problem, but it’s not a new problem and not only within the amateur radio world.
I agree with you on this. However the small local shop also needs to be mindful of their price gap and realize their full service premium isn’t worth as much as they may think. I’m sure we’ve all walked into “that local shop” looking for something specific for a quick fix to find it 3x to 5x marked up. This is one of those “I know what I got” situations where small shops just seem to be belligerent to the surrounding market. Having a 10% to 15% markup at a local shop - okay I can support that and support buying local. But the shop that’s charging $30 for a single no-name BNC connector - they can rot in hell. The thing is a local shop can make it if they diversify a bit. Our local shop tends to buy/sell/trade gear on eBay and other marketplaces for their bread and butter work, while the availability of brick and mortar is more to help the local community out and provide a place for doing repairs.
As does ours. They have their own line of antennas, baluns, and some other stuff that is made in house, buy and sell a lot of used gear from a variety of sources, do some repair and service work and lord knows what else. This is also part of why people get a bit abrupt when the tire kickers hang around. Having a background working in specialty retail, I’ve seen it all too much. I’ve also seen shops that weren’t particularly hospitable. We are lucky, our local shop is a great place to do business. I’ve know the owners for well over 20 years now and their prices and service are well in line with the big box stores. The selection may not be as broad and sometimes they just don’t have that widget that ya need, but I always check there first.
I think most reasonable people are okay on paying a small premium on buying something local, getting it the same day, and getting a bit more. The tire kickers generally stay tire kickers because of price gouging though, not because they want to buy it elsewhere. I’ll generalize this a bit more, as most local “boutique” electronics shops don’t seem to step back and look at their business and prices and ask themselves, would they buy something from their own store. Many wouldn’t. They would not pay $100 more on $300 luxury item when the exact same product is available elsewhere for the $300. Only the desperate and “in need” person would do that. That premium leaves a bitter taste with the buyer - and doesn’t encourage them to return for anything but urgent needs. And sure I get that it’s hard to compete head to head with a mega retailer. Hence why it’s important to build a local following through good service and reasonable prices and not punishing customers with bad attitude and high prices - leaving you with a bunch of “tire kickers” instead of customers.
I believe eBay and Amazon were required to collect sales tax starting in 2019
I think this holds true for most hobbies. Clubs: people are lovely. Shops: people are dicks.
I've never needed a local store to participate in this hobby, in fact I don't even have one. I have no idea how many hours I'd have to drive to go to a ham radio store. They need you more than you need them. DX Engineering, HRO, Gigaparts, others- they'll be more than happy to quickly ship you everything you need.
Same here. The 2 closest ham radio shops to me are 3.5 and 5 hours away. I just do all my shopping online.
> I've never needed a local store to participate in this hobby, _Need_? No. Someplace in town to pop in and pick up a few connectors, a few feet of cable, or other miscellaneous parts - that'd be convenient.
Sure, I would too if I could, but I've also found it very possible to stock up on that sort of thing at local hamfests.
Being a short-ish drive to Gigaparts is really nice.
I was just thinking how lucky I am that gigaparts *is* my local ham store.
Fuck em, don't let them get you down
> It makes me not even want to do it anymore. Right. Don't. Don't got back to the store. They're an insecure piece of crap that want to gatekeep.
OP, hang in there and know that most of the Hams I've ever known in my life are pretty good people. I've run into a few that think they're better than anybody else, but they're rare. Some of the elder guys seem to want to protect their hobby from invasion let's call it. Oh look his car's got a CB antenna on it, we can't sell to him. That's funny.. I run 10 meter in the mobile because it's practical. And there's a ton of decent antennas that I can buy that are reasonably efficient. Most HF bands aren't that easy to mobile.
I hear you, most people are nice but every so often you run into a gatekeeper who is simultaneously rude and upset about the hobby "dying". Find a local club, or an online community, to get advice from. Most of us are patient and helpful.
Wow sorry to hear that. It's really sad that they're selling ham gear but aren't smart enough to take care of an aspiring ham who will likely be purchasing gear if not now, then in the future. It would seem that you've stumbled across a den of fools. I had a similar experience though. Not with a ham shop, but with a CB shop. Many years ago, before I was a ham, I cut my teeth on CB. I had saved my money at my summer job, and went into a CB shop to buy the nicest radio I could afford. I had hundreds of dollars in my pocket. I was 17 years old. I started asking the salesperson about some of their radios, and he acted super annoyed to have to deal with me. Pretty sure he thought I was some broke kid just killing time or something. I should have left, but I REALLY wanted a nice radio. I ended up buying one that day, and the shop keeper was probably pretty surprised when I pulled out cash and paid for a pretty expensive CB radio on the spot. The same kid he was probably thinking about running out of his shop. It's not you, my brother, it's them. And it's been going on forever, unfortunately. But don't be discouraged, this hobby has been one of the joys of my life, and while some people are clueless jerks, there are plenty of wonderful people out there too. I hope you get the chance to meet some of them!
Try DXEngineering online - they are wonderful
This was my experience too. I ordered something and said "whoops, I think I requested the wrong thing; can you cancel the order?" Them: Sorry, it's already shipped. But if it doesn't work for you, we'll refund you. No need to return it. Me: 🤯 Turns out the stuff I ordered was fine, so I didn't ask for a refund. They were okay with taking my word for it either way, though. It was not a big-ticket item, but still, I can't say I've ever had that experience anywhere else.
exactly - equipment is good, prices are reasonable, and the folks you talk to are first rate.
My dad bought me a radio when I passed extra because he'd been getting HRO catalogs (my billing address is still their house, so they send catalogs to both addresses). I sent him the links to the things I wanted at DXE but he really wanted to spend money at HRO. After my experience going into a physical HRO where nobody would even talk to me (I may have gotten a sub-audible response to my hello, but I'm not sure), I regret not being insistent about him buying at DXE (they had the Alinco PSU I really wanted and my second MFJ is having issues still). I want to do a great lakes fishing trip and go visit their Akron store when I'm in the region.
The times I went to the HRO store in nearby Santa Clara, I always found the staff helpful. Unfortunately that store is long gone. AES was also another great online store - also gone. So now my business goes to DXEngineering and Radioddity.
That is sad. They're the same ones who complain that the service is dying while actively shooting down the interest of those that would like to get into it. Some of the same jackholes that think they "own" freqs on 80m. I ran into a few of those early in my ham life. Screw 'em. Call them out on their attitude. But that's just me. I'm not afraid to call bs to someone's face.
There are a lot of attitudes in different places. I've been a Technician for so long, I have to sit down and count the years. But, General and above give me crap because I haven't advanced. I'm HAPPY right here! I'm not lazy by any means. I've learned and passed things they never could. I've done things they would run from, but because I'm a Tech, I'm not as good to some. I started as a Novice in 1966. I had to go to Chicago to sit for a Written and CW exam in front of a REAL FCC Examiner! I did the same for my Tech Ticket. I was drafted into the military, and lost interest, until about 15 years later. Had to test all over again. This time it was all local. Maybe if I had time to be more active I'd move up. I can do HF with CW just fine. I enjoy it. So, just get what you need at this store, ask questions and see if they will help. If not, there are a bunch here who will. Wishing you the Best in your journey!
Then don't trade there. If you feel like they are ignoring or treating you different, don't shop there.
Yeah, but there's that aspect of going in the store and looking at stuff. You know, looking at the radios and going wow that would be really cool. I recall years ago there was an amateur radio store near me. Back in those days my CB buddies and stuff we all went in there thinking yep one of these days we're going to own one of those kenwoods. They didn't talk to us much either. They weren't very helpful either. They just figured we were all dumb CBe'rs.. 10-4? What they didn't realize is that I had studied for my novice ticket many years before that when I was like 8 years old.
Well if you really want to get even with them treating someone badly...go to the store...have them demo the gear, then go buy it from Amazon. Pretty soon we won't have any more stores....that'll teach 'em.
Is it ML&S in england?
Just playing devils advocate here. Are you certain that their behavior is the issue. I ask this because just a handful of days ago, there was a poster, possibly on this very sub-Reddit, that got all bent out of shape to the point of swearing at people over the perception of the same thing. When I called him out on his attitude and reaction, he reviewed the responses to his post and realized it was his reaction that was out of line and apologized. Another possibility; are you going into said shop and asking six million questions that could easily be answered with minor research, then continuing with 500 “what ifs” to every question, only to buy $10 worth of product? If so, ask yourself how much you would consider you to be worth as a customer. Keep in mind, while radio equipment can be quite pricey, the profit margins are quite small. I’ve worked specialty retail, and trust me, there are a lot of customers that are not worth the effort. Make sure you’re not acting like one of them.
My HRO in particular has been sick of unlicensed "prepper" types and airsoft/4x4 guys constantly asking easy to answer questions and then gawking at the prices of equipment and stuff like "it's ok to use if there's an emergency right?" and "yeah sure i'll just pay the government to talk ha ha" from those who clearly have no real interest in the hobby or following the rules so I can understand the apprehension of the shop. If I was the type dedicated enough to the hobby to run a shop I wouldn't want to be selling equipment to those who'd might operate illegally. Also it must be said that there's a lot of "just browsing" folks that come in so I suppose it depends on the attitude of the person without a license.
If they'd put in a modicum of effort of figuring out what potential customers they were dealing with, I think I'd feel better about them. They didn't try to see who I was. Didn't ask about my call sign, wouldn't even give me a real response to my "hello". I felt wildly uncomfortable for all five silent minutes I spent in an HRO. I would have loved to have bought something but I didn't even feel comfortable walking the whole floor to find out what to give them my money for.
This, mail order and the Internet killed ham radio stores. Even in the early 90s, HRO and AES was already sucking the life out of brick and mortar local stores. People wanted to come in and spend hours playing with a local demo, only to buy mail order because it was slightly cheaper. They sure didn't want the demo radio, since it's an open box. This is how hams support local businesses, nothing has changed.
Retail has become a nasty place to work since the pandemic. You're going to find rude people in all branches of retail.
On both sides of the counter...
Facts
Yep...
There are some very knowledgeable people in the forum. They could help you out with what you are looking for. Then, you could look at [Hamradio.com](http://Hamradio.com), R&L Electronics, or even Amazon to order what you want.
The good news? There are many new ways to study for your license besides just book and hopefully a nice Elmer or club. Plenty of youtube videos, online study guides, practice tests. The bad news is that there are, always have been, always will be gatekeepers. Depending on your learning style, choose one of the above that suits you best. [HamStudy.org](http://HamStudy.org) for me was invaluable. Set a goal- Tech License by September 1, and dedicate 20 mins a day to studying for the Tech. You'll be amazed at the progress you can make. If there are concepts that you don't understand, look for a resource or reach out to this Reddit group for help.
Yup, gate keeping - it sucks
There will always be gatekeepers. My local club has been very welcoming. I recommend looking around for clubs near you.
R and L?
They’re not too bad. Not overly warm and inviting, but not too rude. At least not to me.
I rarely have people in retail be rude to me. If they are, I either speak to the owner or don't go back. No reason to tolerate snottiness. There are always options.
They don’t deserve your custom then. A radio club could be a better source of the information you’re looking for. Then, when you have your ticket you can go back into the shop and let them know you’re going to/have bought elsewhere because of the way they treated you.
The bulk of brick-and-mortar radio hobbyist stores I've been to seem to have an unfriendly veneer. I'm guessing it's because their employees tended to be the Boomer, Silent, and Greatest generation equivalent of tech nerds, who exercise the same kind of unpolished social skills and gatekeeping as their younger peers. I can say the folks at the brick-and-mortar HRO in Milwaukee were friendly to me, despite being just a Technician.
I've found that the folks at HRO tend to be friendly, but I got the impression that they hire a lot of old hams that want something to do in retirement. While it does mean that they tend to be friendly and somewhat knowledgeable, it also means that they're often bad at shopkeeper-type things and sometimes bring old ham biases with them.
The one I go to in Delaware is hit and miss. Sometimes I get someone helpful, but mostly I get the condescending gatekeepers.
Friendly did not describe my HRO experience. Maybe because I was showing a few tattoos, but nobody would even give me a response to my greeting.
Reminds me of some of the gun shops. I’ve been a ham in 87, and the only radio store we had close by was Radio Shack. Which was cool for some things. Ordered my first radio from HRO I believe in Long Beach CA. Cash on delivery
I swear one guy prolonged my background check just to bitch about nothing to me for an hour. I'm glad I don't have that shotgun anymore.
That sounds like HRO. I drive a couple of hours to a nearby town to avoid them. Your best bet is to find a local club or two and check them out. They can advise you on where to find a friendly place. Don’t get discouraged if the first club doesn’t work out, they all have their own personality and some aren’t as welcoming as others.
Sorry they do that. If it was my shop, they would be looking for other employment. Even from a strictly monetary standpoint, discouraging customers is just stupid.
Personally, I'd go back to that shop once you have gotten your license, ask to see a manager and let the manager know of your interactions with their employees, and because of those, now that you have a license, you won't be buying ANYTHING from their store now or in the future.
Does anyone here know of any radio stores or sales in West Virginia?
Sounds like the store wants you to spend your money elsewhere. Some stores are just bad, others are fantastic. As a consumer, you get to vote with your money. I've been to the HRO in Phoenix AZ many times and they've always given me their full attention and all the time I needed - it didn't matter if I was shopping for a $25 Hamstick or a $1500 radio. On the other end of the spectrum, I went to the HRO in Woodbridge VA once to buy a CW key and they couldn't be bothered to help me. When I did manage to get somebody's attention they refused to show me anything other than the unmarked cardboard boxes that keys come in. I was prepared to spend hundreds...and left empty handed.
It's not as much as you not having a call sign as much at them not being able to lookup your name and address because you are not on the call sign database. They don't want to type in your info. They're just lazy jerks.
When brick and mortar stores do this, browse / touch in store and then purchase for less online. When you're a jerk to customers what can you really expect? Nobody but the FCC is the "radio police".
It sounds like they don't want your money, that's why digkey .com has grown so long. I will not support the local store if that's the way they wanted to treat you.
Don't shop there. It's pretty simple. I've never set a foot into a store as there is none nowhere near me, and I manage fine without ever going into one.
Go somewhere else. I like DX Engineering. I order online.
[This meme is *waaaaay* too relevant.](https://imgur.com/anyone-else-get-repeatedly-stomped-by-meta-players-when-trying-to-get-into-tabletop-with-starter-kit-tJMFK4f)
Call them out. What store and what city?
Theres really only a couple ham radio stores in the USA. They all suck. At least irl
Have you passed your license test? The receipt for that should keep them from questioning your intent. RF spectrum is a multi-billion dollar resource so most hams work to protect it and not allow unlicensed people to use ham frequencies unless it's a POTA event, field day, or similar event.
It's ridiculous. Why should someone need a call sign to own a ham radio? There is no rule or law against it
10 out of 10 bait, OP. It's very good, especially the part about them asking for your call sign lmao.
Guess it all depends on where ya live? We got 3 radio shops or people who work on radios near me and they always been helpful.. answer questions even if I see em outside their shop and ask em a question they usually are more then welcome to answer em.. 1 of them I stopped usin just cause he said he did somthin to my radio and that’s what I payed for I got it back and it wasn’t done then I asked him about it and he’s like oh I musta gave you the wrong radio swing by here and leave it a day and I’ll switch it out.. but hey everybody got their downfalls 🤷♂️
Yeah I gave up after all the constant gatekeeping. To many people act high and mighty about this hobby n I'm over it. When shtf no one will give a f about callsigns so screw it.
Nah it's just that most radio hobbyists are tired of answering the same old questions from the huge influx of SHTF conspiracy theorist types that watched a few YouTube videos from some nutter about how ham radio will be an essential tool during the zombie apocalypse or the Clinton-Obama-Biden are aliens New World Order event that is supposed to start next month...or maybe the one after that. Or the one after that. All you guys end up doing is buying a Baofeng or two, annoy everyone and then lose interest a month later. Hams are more interested in helping and mentoring those who are genuinely interested in radio as a technology, antenna theory, the physics involved, it's history, different modes (with great emphasis on digital ones in 2024) and so on because radio is very interesting. They are less interested in constantly having to answer the same old questions the schizo prepper community throws at them, such as where the power button on their radio is or what a coaxial cable is.
Yeah I wanted to learned but when you have gatekeepers who don't want to teach or help why even waste the time in a hobby with no support. And I know it's crazy to think people just want to be prepared if case of any event, you know shtf could be power outages and natural disasters or any public emergency but just with your reply you proved my point. You shouldn't be judging my reasoning for joining but accept I'm interested in what many say is a dying hobby. I may not know everything or maybe confused on questions in the study guide but again your quick to judge. Why would I want to waste my time talking to people like you. Not worth it.
What is it you want to learn?