First Year of Retirement
Just a year since I qualified for my Foundation Amateur Radio license and ten months into retirement.
It has taken most of that time to come to the understanding that it is not just an extended holiday but the new normal.
Not having the enforced Monday to Friday schedule of work has taken a while to get to grips with and I am still having occasions when things seem to be drifting along.
I overcompensated at first, not taking a minute, I moved from one task to another in a manic attempt not to vegetate, a seven day a week obsession with doing things. It probably took a couple of months before it dawned, “I used to have weekends off!”
I am still working on this but as hobby interests grow I think I am getting closer to keeping busy while taking time to enjoy the scenery.
My Amateur Radio Journey
I am so grateful that I stumbled across amateur radio when I did, it has driven most of last year.
I cannot figure out what triggered the interest in amateur radio, it was never consciously in the “retirement plan” but it has been a great journey so far, leading me down paths I never considered.
New areas of interest have included Antenna design, digital communications, 3D printing, tackling Electro Magnetic Interference from what is a very noisy world of electrical, electronic and radio equipment,a lot of which does not comply with statutory requirements.
The hobby provides infinite possibilities for experimentation and trial and error. As you tackle one perceived problem you become aware of even more areas of knowledge, and potential solutions.
I began my studies for the intermediate License in January leading to successful qualification in May.
It is hard to give a snapshot of what amateur radio is all about but Callum, M0MCX – inventor and owner of DX Commander does cover it in this short video.
The year ahead.
August will see me begin studying for the Full License exam in January 2027
There are so many areas I want to get experience of in the coming year :-
- Parks on the Air – Setting up and operating in the open air at designated parks.
- Satellite communications.
- Building a low power transceiver
- Building a UHF/VHF antenna
- etc, etc.
In between times I might also get some gardening, cycling and sketching fitted in.
I am still getting used to this retirement business but I do not think that there has been a week in the last year when I did not learn or do something new.
