73 Plural
 

Ok, so tonight I was verbally attacked on 6m for signing off with 73's (with the added s). It's been a habit after seeing so many people sign off with it that way, and no one says anything to them. But when I did, one person laid it into me pretty deep, to the point I felt like not even bothering with my general license. I mean, I got off CB to get away from jerks for a reason, but now the ham band has people scrutinizing what I do or say. Instead of politely teaching me something, it goes to a verbal attack.

I ended up signing off and turning off the radio, because it's not professional to continue.

But I ask you guys, is saying 73 as "73's" on the air, really such a bad thing? I hear so many other's saying that, whom are twice my age, if not more, who say it that way all the time, and no one says anything, yet I, being 29, got attacked for saying the same thing everyone else did.

EDIT: Before anyone says it, trust me, I know 73 being plural is wrong now. I get that, but the question is, did it really bother you so much to attack someone? That's all.

It's too bad some people have to be so dog gone thin-skinned. What you did didn't merit that kind of response. I'm familiar about something like this that happened to me. I consider the source and live-and-let-live. Life is too short.

Every community has at least 1-2 assholes....Learn who they are and avoid them. If they really tick you off wait till you see them doing something bad/get in trouble, and rat them out surreptitiously.

It's not as bad as calling LPs "vinyls":)

Lol I grew up calling them Albums. That's what my father called them, and that's what I call them.

I would not have even noticed, much less cared.

And.. is it "seventy three" or "seven three"....:scratch2:

I've heard people fuss about that too.

Most operators (myself included) sign off with a "73", almost like it's standard operating practice. I can't understand someone ignorant enough to chew somebody out for doing that. If it were me, my mouth would have probably went into overdrive and I'd have let the jerk have it.

This is why I never got my ham license..All I saw in amateur radio was a bunch of Crabby Appleton old guys who stayed Pssed off that stuff wasn't still done the way we did in back in 23 Skiddoo..And who DELIGHTED in jumping someone who didn't follow their arcane rules to a T...

G'day all, that's an interesting one as I used to say 73's myself but have since gone to saying just '73'.

I don't think it's such a big deal really, but to some people it is apparently. Regards, Felix (vk4fuq).

There will always be someone who has nothing better to do with their time but to correct others. You almost have to feel sorry for them that they have nothing else going on in their lives.

I've been in ham radio 44 years (first licensed June 1972), and have heard "73's" more times than I care to remember. I've since learned to ignore it.

BTW, correcting another ham's operating procedure on the air is frowned upon by most older amateurs. If you must do this, call the amateur on the telephone (if local) or send him or her an e-mail describing the issue.

Calling out another ham over the air for operating mistakes is also embarrassing, since many other hams not even involved in your QSO may be and probably are listening. I was once royally chewed out on 2 meters by a ham during a message traffic net; the exchange went out over a repeater and was almost certainly heard by every amateur within range of the machine.

73,

Sadly, some hams have a stick up their butt. They hate no coders, they hate anyone who doesn't build their own gear, they hate CB operators, they hate Baofeng radios, and they hate anyone who doesn't play by what they believe are the rules.

The correct term is "73". It was designed for Morse code useage, as it's easier to tap that out in Morse code as opposed to "best wishes". But occasionally you will hear somebody sign off with "seventy-thirds".

And for future reference, when a ham gets like that, just say "88 OM". That's Morse for "hugs and kisses you old coot". That'll really leave him with a bad taste in his mouth.

Or....Don't use Morse code lingo at all on the air.....Same with q codes. Just talk like you would if you were talking on the telephone.

It's funny how lingo is. Hams look down on CBers for their slang but then have their own. Why is one better than the other? And languages change and evolve and so does slang. So what is the big deal?

As a kid I was always baffled by cuss words. Poo is OK. Say sh!t and you are getting marched to the bathroom to have your mouth washed out. Yet both mean the same stinking pile. I could never wrap my head around that. When I heard G. Carlin's 7 words it was such a relief to know that I wasn't the only one who couldn't fathom the difference and found it ridiculous.

All of that said, I say "73" just to be respectful of the history of ham radio. But chewing you out over the air makes that guy a lid for sure. Ignore him and keep enjoting ham radio.