Ham Radio Operators Coffee Mug
Almost any place that you look if there are Amateur (Ham) Radio Operators at least one has a coffee mug in their hand, if they are operating a radio it is sitting next to the rig! It depends where they are, at the talk-in (TI) for a Hamfest or just ragchewing the mug is not far away.
If they are operating at home (in their radio shack) just rag chewing (talking) to a friend or maybe they have just made a contact miles away from where they live, a coffee mug is not far from their reach! Even if they are operating some digital transmission/receiving the cup is not far from their reach so that when they can take a sip it is right there! This mug has their call sign and/or the date of their operating ticket or latest upgrade and their name.
When a bunch of hams get together for a field day, the coffee pot(s) are going all the time to keep some fresh coffee around. The operators are always filling their cups (the cups are empty) between transmissions. Some maybe operating voice or digital such as Morse code or packet on a HF frequency, while others are operating the same modes on VHF or UHF frequencies. No matter what they are operating on the radios, the ones watching (or waiting their turn), and the ones just rag chewing with each other the invaluable coffee mug is close by each one. These mugs usually have the club or main call sign and the date of the activity!
At work or at play the Ham Radio Operator usually has coffee mug at their disposal! These mugs can have the time and date of Amateur Radio Club meetings ( 7PM third Tuesday of each Month), and the club call sign. It can also have the dates of the next Hamfest with the talk-in channel for advertisement! Just think of the possibilities that can be put on a coffee mug even the dates and frequencies of the next DXpedition that members or other hams are doing. It does not matter where these Ham Operators are or what they are doing, each time the mug is raised for a sip or whatever it is an advertisement for what is on the coffee mug.
Coffee mugs are a very important tool for just about every Ham Radio Operatorand these people are every where! So to get more operators or prospective Amateur Radio Operators at your next meeting, hamfest, DXpedition, or specialevent station, one of the best advertising methods is to put it on coffee mugs and distribute them to Amateur Radio Operators.
Dave did not change his call sign from KD4YFL to his current call of KS4LI until he was licensed as Amateur Advanced in 1995. After receiving his Amateur Extra License in 1996 he served with several teams that gave licensing exams from Amateur Novice to Amateur Extra including the Morse code exams that were part of the licensing structure at that time.Daves current project is http://www.amateurradiogifts.com "Amateur Radio Gifts"
Source: www.articlesbase.com
