Printable View
Quote:
Most of the active ham radio operators today are of the grey haired, retired variety. If the hobby is to stand any chance of outliving them, it needs to find a way to be attractive to the younger generations who grew up with the internet.
https://hackaday.com/2019/09/18/hack...-of-the-hobby/
I don't have any young ones interested in manipulating the flow of electrons; as long as there is juice from the wall and signal from the cell tower, all is good in their world.
.
The death of ham radio has been pronounced many times before, when cell phones came out etc.
We're still here, in the 42 years of being ham radio nut I personally trained and got 24 mostly young people through their exams.
Member of the Veron our national most important ham club, but also in a small provincial club, whee lots of young people get trained for exams and keep ham radio alive.
Ham radio is more as what i did then, building your own stuff, there is propagation to study, making your own (simple) antenna's etc.
We have always been a fringe society, if 1 in 1000 people are interested it is already much.
Luckily i see enough young people get into the hobby, or middle aged people re discovering their old hobby.
The demise of ham radio is still a long way off ( I hope) :mrgreen:
That's a fair bit of kit for $146.26 DolloryDoos...
errr, $99 'Merica!
Actually, I'm more focused on my own "Terminal Prognosis" in Amateur Radio and electronics in general.Quote:
Originally Posted by PA5COR
I got turned on at the age of five by, a Bar Magnet covered by a sheet of paper and some Iron Filings; it was something about those invisible lines of magnetic force. Ham license in 1985. I have been hands-on electrically since the age of ten with my hands in vacuum tube radios and T.V.s (got bit early and often), Vocational High School, Grant-in-Aid from 'Generous Electric' (Thank you!) paid for my Engineering training - 45 plus years of experience and - electronic baggage.
So meanwhile, back at the ranch, I have to downsize in expectation of moving at the end of my current lease (September 2020).
I was the fellow who, after work and on the weekends, took sheet metal, discrete components and a schematic and created "Specialized Communications Equipment". Well, there is no longer a demand for amplifiers built around a "Toob" with handles; about 6-7 years ago, I stopped taking in repairs and building equipment, right in the middle of an unfinished project. I have the B+ supply completed, and, the RF Deck is in need of Vacuum Variables - and someone to finish the project.
I am emotionally connected to 35+ years of electronic parts, tools and everything else you could hoard. Dismantling the fixed station and divesting myself of "Who I was" is a hard thing to do; I need some of those TV know-it-all-gurus to come in and help me clean house; maybe I'll contact Dr. Phil.
.
Stacked high and tight, eh?
I had intended to do a "Curb-Alert" last evening via a local Amateur Radio net operating on 2 meters, but, there was no "Net" or net check-ins!Quote:
Originally Posted by KG4CGC
.