Approximately 15% of the US ham population are female and the attendees at Hamvention reflected that statistic. By far, the males outnumber females.
The people staffing the booths at Hamvention also reflected that statistic. Some booths have no females, some booths have one or two females and a few booths have professional "booth babes" hired to attract customers.
Some visitors to our booth must have read me as the equivalent of a booth babe. On a few occasions, fellows approached me at the booth and asked, "Do you know anything?" or "Can I talk to someone who knows something?" or something similarly insulting.
Damn! I probably know more about ham radio than they do. I've been a ham for nearly 50 years. I have written six books and thousands of articles about ham radio. I even won a special achievement award for my contributions to the hobby.
Usually, I am so taken aback by the question/insult that I do not have a quick comeback. Instead, I do my duty and try to help them out.
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| Wearing Boston Proper (Source: Boston Proper) |
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| Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard (The Three Stooges) femulate in the 1950 film Self Made Maids. |
