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Thread: When to say when.

  1. #1
    Master Navigator koØm's Avatar
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    When to say when.

    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.

    .


  2. #2
    Orca Whisperer PA5COR's Avatar
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    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)
    "If the Republicans will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop
    telling the truth about them." - Adlai Stevenson (1900-1965)
    “I’m not liberal/conservative, I’m anti-idiotarian.”
    At some point in the last 20 years, the left moved to the center, and the right moved into a mental institution

  3. #3
    Whacker Knot WØTKX's Avatar
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    That's a fair bit of kit for $146.26 DolloryDoos...

    errr, $99 'Merica!
    "Where would we be without the agitators of the world to attach the electrodes
    of knowledge to the nipples of ignorance?" ~ Professor "Dick" Soloman



  4. #4
    Master Navigator koØm's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PA5COR View Post
    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)
    Actually, I'm more focused on my own "Terminal Prognosis" in Amateur Radio and electronics in general.

    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.

    .


  5. #5

  6. #6
    Master Navigator koØm's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by KG4CGC View Post
    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!

    .


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