Title: “The God Syndrome in Amateur Radio: Choice, Control, and Communication”
By: Eric Werny, WB6MTK
In the world of amateur radio, the power to communicate with people across the globe is literally at your fingertips. With a twist of a dial and the tap of a key, you can reach out to a stranger in Siberia, a fellow ham across the country, or the guy down the block running 100 watts into a stealth antenna. But with this ability comes a subtle psychological phenomenon—what some might call the God syndrome.
This isn’t about arrogance or delusions of grandeur in the clinical sense. It’s more nuanced than that. The God syndrome in amateur radio is about control, specifically, the operator’s unilateral control in deciding who they talk to, when, and under what conditions. While this is an inherent and accepted part of the hobby, exploring how this control can shape our behavior on the airwaves and our culture as operators is worth exploring.
The Dial is Mightier Than the Mic
Amateur radio is unique in offering nearly total autonomy to the operator. You choose your band, your mode, your power level, and most importantly, your contacts. Unlike most forms of communication, which are either mutual or structured, ham radio is one-sided at the beginning. One person calls CQ or spins the dial, looking for someone to engage with.
At that moment, the operator becomes a gatekeeper. You’re effectively deciding whose voice gets heard and whose doesn’t.
This power to choose can create a subconscious sense of superiority or exclusivity. It’s not unusual to hear an operator respond to a call only after hearing the DX prefix or recognizing a high-status call sign. Others may ignore weak signals, stations with heavy accents, or operators from less “interesting” countries. Sometimes, it’s about signal quality or readability—but not always. The decisions we make while spinning that our own biases, preferences, and assumptions often influence VFO.
The Gatekeeper Mentality
For many operators, this control becomes part of their operating style. Contesters may only acknowledge stations that contribute to their score. DXers may ignore ragchewers entirely. Some hams set up nets or group frequencies and quietly ignore anyone outside their clique. Others run pileups, commanding attention and dictating the flow of the conversation with almost military precision.
In all these cases, the operator becomes the arbiter of who gets on the air and who doesn’t—at least in their small corner of the band. This is where the God syndrome metaphor begins to take hold. The airwaves become a kingdom, and the microphone a scepter.
Boredom and the VFO Escape Hatch
One of the lesser-discussed behaviors tied to the God syndrome is how quickly some operators abandon a conversation when it no longer interests them. Unlike face-to-face communication—where walking away mid-conversation would be seen as rude—ham radio offers an effortless escape: the VFO knob. With a simple twist, an operator can disappear into the noise, searching for something more entertaining, exotic, or more aligned with their mood.
This phenomenon is especially noticeable during casual rag chews or QSOs with new or less experienced operators. An exchange that starts friendly may fizzle when the conversation turns slow, repetitive, or veers into territory the operator deems uninteresting. Rather than politely wrapping up the QSO, they may stop responding—or send a quick “73” and vanish. Some don’t even say goodbye.
While not always intentional or malicious, this behavior reflects the high degree of control operators feel over their on-air interactions. It’s a kind of broadcast narcissism: the sense that one’s attention is valuable and that a conversation must earn the right to continue. In extreme cases, it turns the band into a personal entertainment feed, where every contact is judged for novelty or utility.
But this attitude can undermine the communal spirit that amateur radio thrives on. Ham radio is a two-way street; even the most mundane QSO can carry meaning—for the other operator, if not for you. Especially for newer hams or those in remote areas, your willingness to hang in there and carry the conversation can be the difference between a memorable experience and a discouraging silence.
The Flip Side: The Right to Choose
To be fair, this dynamic is not inherently bad. One of the most beautiful aspects of amateur radio is its freedom. We are not obligated to speak to every station we hear. Just as in daily life, we all have the right to choose our conversations. There’s nothing unethical about skipping over a station that doesn’t interest you or deciding to go QRT instead of answering another CQ.
But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t know the psychological dynamics. It’s easy to fall into patterns that, over time, isolate us from the hobby’s richness. When we only talk to stations that are convenient, prestigious, or known, we risk turning amateur radio into a social echo chamber—losing touch with the diversity and spontaneity that make the hobby so rewarding.
The Power of Inclusion
Understanding the subtle influence of the God syndrome is a step toward a more positive operating style. Consider pausing on that faint signal from a less-traveled country. Take a few minutes to answer a new ham’s CQ. Join a net you’ve never checked into before. These small acts can expand your operating experience and make the bands a more welcoming place for everyone.
In a world where communication is increasingly algorithmic and filtered, amateur radio offers a raw, unmediated contact form. But only if we let it. If we use our power to include rather than exclude, to engage rather than filter, we enrich our own experience and the entire global ham radio community.
Conclusion
The God syndrome in amateur radio isn’t about ego but choice. Every time we key up the mic or tap out a CQ, we exercise a little slice of control over the spectrum.
The bands are what we make them. So next time you’re spinning the dial, ask yourself: What kind of god do you want to be?
About the Author:
Eric Werny, WB6MTK is an active ham radio operator passionate about the philosophy of communication. He enjoys writing about the cultural side of ham radio and exploring how the hobby reflects human behavior.