When Were You Last Public With Your Amateur Radio Hobby?

When were you last openly public about amateur radio?
Not hidden away in the shack. Not just talking to the same familiar callsigns. But actually letting the wider world see that amateur radio exists, and that it’s alive, relevant, and fun.

What We Do Matters
Every time we use our radios in public, talk about them online, or casually mention them in conversation, we’re shaping how amateur radio is perceived. Hobbies don’t stay healthy by accident, they survive because people show up and show them.

The more people see something, the more normal it becomes.

Visibility Creates Normality
Think about it: once something is visible enough, it stops being “weird”, “old-fashioned”, or “niche”. It becomes just another thing people do, like photography, cycling, gaming, or model trains. Amateur radio is no different. But it needs visibility.

Mixing Radio With Real Life
One of the easiest ways to do this is to blend amateur radio into everyday life. Recently, I took my kids to the park. While they played, I had my handheld with me and made a few QSOs. No big setup. No fanfare. Just radio, naturally fitting into the moment.

To anyone watching, it wasn’t “a strange hobby”, it was just a parent enjoying something they love while their kids played. That kind of exposure matters more than we often realise.

Can’t Get Out? You Can Still Be Public
Not everyone can head out for activations, parks, summits, or field days, and that’s okay. Public doesn’t have to mean physical.

What about:
- Sharing amateur radio content online?
- Posting about your latest contact or project?
- Commenting on or resharing someone else’s radio post?
Simply liking or sharing something that promotes the hobby?
Even sharing someone else’s content, yes, even this post 😉 helps. Every share is another small signal that amateur radio is still here and still relevant.

Keeping Amateur Radio Relevant
Most of us want amateur radio to:
- Continue to grow
- Attract new people
- Be seen as relevant well into the middle of the 21st century.

That doesn’t happen through gatekeeping or nostalgia alone. It happens when we actively show how amateur radio fits into modern life, alongside technology, families, online communities, and changing lifestyles. We all have a part to play in that.

Don’t Forget: It’s Meant to Be Fun
At the end of the day, amateur radio is meant to be fun.
So ask yourself:
How can I make it more enjoyable?
How can I invite curiosity instead of confusion?
How can I present amateur radio in a positive, welcoming way?
How can I encourage others, quietly or loudly to give it a go?
Because when we enjoy it, show it, and share it, others notice.

So…
When were you last public with your amateur radio hobby?