HamFanz Birthday!

It is April - which means that HamFanz is now four years old; the HamFanz Yahoogroup was started in April of 2003, and www.HamFanz.com was put online in April of 2004.

It's been tremendously interesting, frustrating, and rewarding. This was mainly because I did not know what I was doing, how to do it, what folks wanted (often I was privy to wildly divergent 'wants'), or even what I wanted! Indeed, HamFanz remains a day-by-day 'thing'.

When I started HamFanz, I had no direction, no road map, no money (HamFanz was started on ONE $20 donation! You KNOW who you are!), no business plan, no idea how many hours I'd have to put in, no 'advisory' committee, and a poorly functioning computer!

What I did have was an idea. And that idea was (and remains) to make the SW hobby more fun for everyone, Hams and SWL's alike. Often that entails seeing then stating when the Emperor is Naked, because not many seemed to be doing that!

Being an experienced freelance writer, I did have an ability to 'report' what I saw and heard. Plus I think I was born with a great BS meter! I was also blessed with a 'trustworthy' character, and folks told me things KNOWING I would not reveal their source unless we had agreed to do so. I could 'take the heat' and most knew it.

Then there were more than a few folks that wanted HamFanz to 'succeed' (whatever THAT means), and felt it DID enrich their hobby be it Ham or SWL. These people gave me suggestions (not all of which worked out, I might add), ideas, financial support, moral support, and encouragement without which HamFanz would fold.

So, Happy Birthday to HamFanz (and all its' varied endeavors!). And a BIG thanks to everyone that continues to make it all possible...