I don't try to work the taxi cab base or mobile stations any more..they don't respond! LOL. but there are good operators out there that will make the effort to communicate.
I agree. It's a shame that so many US radio operators (amateur and CB) tend to generalize and put all of the South American operators in the same echo, roger beep, noise toy basket. Being bilingual and living in Colombia, I talk to a lot of other operators in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and even a few out of Cuba. 98% of my SA contacts speak Spanish only, so if you do not speak any Espanol, you're in trouble. But from what I've learned in the 10 years I've been here is that the good Spanish operators outnumber the idiots 10 to 1, just like in the US.
Instead of leveling criticism, why not try and communicate with some of the strong operators out of SA. All you need to know is a few Spanish phrases. Learn how to let them know who you are,
"Mi nombre es (your name/handle),where you're at, "yo vivo en estado unidos en (your state)". and tell them that your Spanish is very limited. "Lo siento, pero mi espanol es limitado." Ask them their location and their name, "¿Dónde están ubicados y cuál es su nombre?" If you have trouble understanding, ask them to speak slower, "Por favor, hable más despacio".
When my wife and I moved here, my Espanol was terrible. Even though she is Colombian, we always spoke English when we lived in the states, so I was a total Gringo when we got here.
I learned much of my Spanish on the radio. Most Spanish operators are anxious to learn English, and speak a little. I was anxious to learn Spanish, and spoke a little. So we taught each other. Until you experience it, you can't imagine the satisfaction of communicating in another language for the first time.
OK, I'll get off of the soapbox now.
73s.
- 399