What is an “Amateur” Radio Operator?
Because of the imprecise way in which we customarily use the English language nowadays, the term “amateur” is often taken to mean a tyro or bush leaguer. Strictly speaking, however, an amateur is someone who engages in an activity simply because he or she enjoys the activity for itself and not because of any monetary gain that might be had. The term itself has its roots in the Latin word for lover, and this is the correct meaning of the word in the context of Amateur Radio: We pursue ham radio because we love it for itself and for what it does in terms of effecting human understanding. While it’s a given that the level of technical acumen among us hams varies greatly and that some of us are beginners, it’s also true that a good many of us could teach experienced electronics engineers a thing or two.
