I never really said they were jerky... just clickly and unwelcoming. I tried W5FC and the Irving club and neither really had much of anything going as far as new members are concerned. I went a few meetings and events and there was no welcoming new members just business as usual and people talking with their friends not even acknowledging a new member.

It was 100% on me to force my way into conversations and go around and introduce myself to everyone. I met a few people and got some email address b/c I was interested in HF and wanted to check out some shacks and people were all smiles and saying they would help… but after I emailed them to try to set something up I didn’t get a reply from any of them. One of the members who offered to help was KE5ICX who infamously wrote:

KE5ICX's Ham Radio World: Does Ham Radio Suck? You Tell Me

I figured he would be more willing to help a new ham since he is lamenting the fact no enough hams mentor anymore… but 3x emails to him all unanswered.
I checked out a few events from W5FC and they were just as bad as their meetings… not much organization and really not that many people working radios, just standing around shooting the breeze with old friends. I gave up the hobby for a year and then tried again this last field day, but when I drove out to their site it was more of the same.

Maybe my expectations were too high b/c everyone told me how friendly and open hams are so I thought they would be excited to let me join their club, but instead all I got was people telling me how much easier the tests are now as if I am some second class ham b/c I didn’t have to take the CW test at a regional FCC office. I will keep my license up to date and might give the hobby another go in a few years and I still encourage people to get a tech license if you wheel b/c 2m is much better than 11m, but I caution them that the stories you hear about how friendly and open hams are not exactly true.