In order to be a “new hobby” it probably has to be something I started this year. That kind of limits the selection to two things: making garden stuff and ham radio. It’s probably also a foregone conclusion which one makes the “best”?

I decided to make some raised garden beds and sell them. While they’re pretty nice, there’s no demand! I did sell one custom garden bed, one corner bed, and one potato box, but that wasn’t enough to even cover my expenses. I had a lot of fun making sawdust. I’d like to figure out something else to make that might be useful enough for people to buy. Suggestions welcome!

In September while we were in Yellowstone Park, I was kind of bemoaning the lack of connectivity when someone in the line told me that they had great connectivity; they had a ham radio setup. I talked with them a bit more and learned that quite a few RV owners also had ham radio licenses. A few days later I was reading an article on people who are on full-time RV “vacations” and communicate with other similar-minded folks on the two-meter ham radio band.

When I was about 14 or 15, I got my first ham radio license and a year later upgraded the license. I let the license expire while we were in the Air Force. However, I remember that I had a great time on the air waves.

I’ve since become licensed … my call sign is KF7FXZ. I’ve bought a two-meter radio, built a good antenna for the system, and am in the process of making it possible to put this transceiver in my car so I can use it while mobile.

This new hobby is definitely the “best new hobby!”

Ta ta for now!