Your wife VS. Your hobby
It’s a showdown you hope to never see.
Now some men are just plain lucky – I’ve heard stories from fellow CBer’s who say their wife or girlfriend loves to talk on the CB radio and “asks” to have one put in her car so she can talk more often.
Wow – what fantasy world do those guys live in?
If you’re like the rest of us poor saps than you fall into one of two categories.
Category #1
My wife dislikes my hobby but respects my opinion and lets me do my CB thing
Category #2
My wife hates my hobby, can’t understand why I’m talking on something that should have faded away along with bell bottoms, and takes every opportunity to let me know that she doesn’t like my hobby.
If you fall into the first category it sounds like you have a balanced give and take in your marriage, but all too often radio operators fall into the second category.
If you’re like me you’re a die hard CB’er and the first thing you do upon buying a new car or moving into a new residence is to make sure your CB equipment is ready to go for install. You like to talk daily if possible and will spend hours on the radio when the DX is rolling.
Gentlemen – before you get upset at your wife there is something you need to realize – WE ARE CB RADIO NERDS.
Yes, nerds. And before I discuss the wife aspect of this problem, let it be known that nerds are annoying and most people try to avoid them when they are doing their nerd thing.
Okay – so if you’re lucky your wife doesn’t vehemently HATE CB radio, she just doesn’t understand why you LOVE it so much. And she doesn’t have to, I don’t claim to understand the joy of shoe shopping so it’s only fair that the sexes don’t have to see eye to eye. But the issue of respect really comes into play.
In general the radio communication hobby just doesn’t hold the same appeal for women. They don’t like the sound of static rattling on for hours and also don’t appreciate the idea of a bunch of strangers talking to each other.
The KEY for you as a radio operator is not to create a battle, but to be the diplomat.
OR, if you are the type who is King of the Castle, good on ya. But some of us married those dang liberated women.
I’ve found that CB radio is definitely a give and take when it comes to your significant other. She may not like your hobby, but the better you do to limit it’s negative impact on her the more freedom you’ll enjoy.
There are some simple rules to follow; lets start with the things to avoid –
DON’T
– put your base station in the living room right next to the TV
(because if you’re interrupting Grey’s Anatomy or whatever other god awful show she’s watching it will be a lonely night later for you).
– talk to your friends in the car while she’s riding with you
(people seem to forget that other people are in the car when talking to you, and that story about the bachelor party will somehow find it’s way onto the radio at the worst possible moment – when she’s sitting right next to you!)
– test your radios for hours on end saying “auuuuudddiiiiooooo”
(it may seem harmless to you, but to someone listening in the same room it could drive them crazy….remember Lorena Bobbitt?)
– spend $400 on a new setup and then tell her she shouldn’t buy new shoes
(no explanation needed)
DO’s
– try to get her interested by listening to exotic skip
(I found that although my wife has no interest in my hobby she is often excited to hear people from other countries on the radio. On occasion I have yelled into the other room “come listen to this guy from South Africa/Australia/Hawaii”. Hearing people from another country is always cool and helps to legitimize your hobby 🙂
– explain your purchases before buying
(As men we often bring home the bread and have trouble sometimes controlling ourselves when we see a radio we want. In general men make less purchases than women and so often we feel entitled to buy a radio. But the key is to explain it to her before you do it. “I need a S9 because my old 148 doesn’t have variable power and I’d hate to blow my 8 pill amplifier because of a high deadkey. I’ll sell the 148 and put that money towards the S9 to help minimize the cost”)
– find yourself a radio room
(We all know there are annoying people on the radio, and no doubt you are probably one of them. Truthfully – this is my number one suggestion to any married guy, it could save your marriage, or at least make things go more smoothly. When you’re talking constantly in a public area of the house it can get annoying…imagine listening to your wife on the phone with her sister if you had to hear both sides through a external speaker. Find a private room with a door and put your stuff in there. Make sure to explain to her that you know the radio can sound a bit loud and annoying and by setting aside a room you’re trying to make sure she doesn’t have to listen to it all the time…she will appreciate this, believe me.)
– turn it off every once in a while
(As with any hobby it’s easy to get hooked to a point where you spend every day on the radio. And that’s not a good thing. Make sure to pick a couple of days each week with no radio time. And even if you miss some DX taking a break makes the next time you use the radio more exciting.)
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Now it may be the case that some of you have a wife who just complains and bitches about your hobby and nags and moans and makes your life a living hell.
If that’s the case just dump her. You can always find a new wife, but a mint condition Browning Golden Eagle Mark III is a rare thing indeed.
And to all you single operators out there……talk while you can brothers….when she moves in everything changes 🙂
Please note: The opinions in this article are purely for humor sake and anyone reading these opinions, especially those persons married to me should not perceive this opinions to be my own, but merely written for humor sake……”honey, put down the rolling pin”.