A friend pointed me towards an article in the latest K9YA Telegraph by Philip Cala-Lazar, K9PL, that asks the question, “Nature vs. Nurture: Hams born or made?” K9PL concludes the article by saying,
I suggest that, like musicians, mathematicians and others with preternatural abilities, hams share an innate desire to learn, build, earn a license and get on the air. I can’t explain it at a neurological level, but it seems hams are born wired with an itch only RF can scratch.
I come to a somewhat different conclusion. Hams have to be both born AND made.
The author is correct that hams usually have an innate desire to learn and a fascination with technical things. In particular, hams have a fascination with the phenomenon of radio. These people are may be predisposed to be hams, but if these qualities are not nurtured, nothing comes of that interest. Without some “making,” their “preternatural abilities” are for naught.
That’s certainly true in my case. If my parents hadn’t encouraged—or at least tolerated—my interest in radio, who knows if I’d ever have gotten a license?
I also know people who obtained their license because their father was a ham, or their spouse is a ham. Usually, nothing comes of this. These folks pass the test, but never really get on the air or participate in other ham radio activities. Sometimes, though, these people develop a real interest in the hobby and become great hams. These are “made hams.”
I also think that hams can be made from people who already have a geek bent, but who now need radio for some particular application or perhaps have not been shown how cool radio can be. I’m thinking about the recent interest in drones, for example. The fun of flying might be what drew these folks into droning, but at some point, many realize that ham radio will allow them to fly them farther.
It might be romantic to think of oneself as born to be a ham, but it’s more complicated than that. Just as those who have innate athletic ability don’t turn into Olympic athletes without coaching, without Elmers, many hams never realize their full potential.
Dave New, N8SBE says
Alain Briot’s Fine Art Photography Top 16 (http://beautiful-landscape.com/P-Wallpaper/index.html)
16 – Do not overestimate talent
– Talent is not within our control
– Hard work and not giving up are
– Many more succeed because of hard work than because of talent
– We succeed because we control what we do