Everyone has pastimes that we enjoy, and mine are eclectic and numerous. Since it's been along time since I wrote anything here, I decided to talk about three things that I've gotten into since the last time I published:
HAM Radio
As of a few months ago, I am officially a licensed Amateur Radio operator. HAM radio (the term has unclear origins, but is believed to refer to a ham-handed telegraph operator back in the day) is comprised of a special group of technically-savvy people who have decided to try and communicate with one another using either home-built or commercially bought radios that have the capability to cover the entire globe. I got into it because I bought a decent pair of walkie-talkies on Amazon that I later learned couldn't be operated without a license. After researching the licensing process, I ordered a study guide and found a local volunteer testing center.
Woodworking
My dad has always had a very respectable collection of tools, and over the years he's helped me make several exciting father-son projects over the years. Lately I decided I wanted to do some tinkering in the garage on my own, and so decided to take a woodworking class and invest in a modest collection of tools for my own house. So far I've made a bookshelf, a shoe rack, and a simple monitor stand for my computer.
Ammunition Reloading
I enjoy shooting sports, and because the cost or availability of ammo can at time be prohibitive, I decided to invest a modest sum in getting my own ammo reloading equipment. Taking spent brass and pressing it back into new ammunition is a very time-consuming and detail-intensive process, but once you manage to learn the ins and outs of it there can be something very therapeutic about spending a few hours in the garage just repeating a nearly-mindless set of muscle memory steps over and over again.
This is a very short summary, and perhaps I'll expand it later if I have time!
HAM Radio
As of a few months ago, I am officially a licensed Amateur Radio operator. HAM radio (the term has unclear origins, but is believed to refer to a ham-handed telegraph operator back in the day) is comprised of a special group of technically-savvy people who have decided to try and communicate with one another using either home-built or commercially bought radios that have the capability to cover the entire globe. I got into it because I bought a decent pair of walkie-talkies on Amazon that I later learned couldn't be operated without a license. After researching the licensing process, I ordered a study guide and found a local volunteer testing center.
Woodworking
My dad has always had a very respectable collection of tools, and over the years he's helped me make several exciting father-son projects over the years. Lately I decided I wanted to do some tinkering in the garage on my own, and so decided to take a woodworking class and invest in a modest collection of tools for my own house. So far I've made a bookshelf, a shoe rack, and a simple monitor stand for my computer.
Ammunition Reloading
I enjoy shooting sports, and because the cost or availability of ammo can at time be prohibitive, I decided to invest a modest sum in getting my own ammo reloading equipment. Taking spent brass and pressing it back into new ammunition is a very time-consuming and detail-intensive process, but once you manage to learn the ins and outs of it there can be something very therapeutic about spending a few hours in the garage just repeating a nearly-mindless set of muscle memory steps over and over again.
This is a very short summary, and perhaps I'll expand it later if I have time!