In this episode of Live Free and Ham, hosts Eric and Paul sit down with Joe Brett to talk about an origin story that doesn’t start with a ham club meeting or an exam manual.

Joe’s path into ham radio started with storm chasing and tornadoes — where radios weren’t a hobby, they were a tool. What began as a way to track weather and stay informed slowly turned into curiosity, learning, and eventually… a callsign.

We dig into:

How storm chasing leads people to radios before ham radio ever enters the picture

Why weather, emergencies, and real-world needs pull people into the hobby

The moment curiosity turns into “I guess I should get licensed”

Learning radio skills out of necessity instead of theory

Why some of the best ham radio stories start outside the hobby

This episode is a reminder that nobody wakes up wanting to memorize band plans. Most hams arrive here because radios solve a real problem — and the hobby sneaks up on them later.

If you’re into weather, emergency communications, or ever wondered why radios matter when things go sideways, Joe’s story will feel very familiar.

🎙️ Live Free and Ham — where tornadoes, radios, and curiosity collide.

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