Iitoi wrote:
"Steve Bonine" wrote in message
...

The idea of the exercise was to determine what percentage of the folks listed
by the FCC as licensed amateur radio operators that has actually contributed
to the hobby in the recent past, or might do so in the near future.

"....contributed to the hobby"?

I hear a lot of "active" hams (regularly on the air) whose "contribution" is
"59 Old Man, QTH here is Resume Speed, Arizona, and the name is Broken Old
Bottle. Sebentee Tree. XYL is calling me for lunch". Good for them. They're
enoying themselves.

Like "active", "contributed to the hobby" requires a definition (which I
didn't provide).

I don't think "being active" has any direct correlation to "contributed to the
hobby in the recent past".

An iteresting idea. I was equating "active" with "contributed to the
hobby". This is, perhaps, naive.

Back when I was a kid, I listened to hams on the air, and was motivated
to get my license. I wonder if people today, listening to much of what
I hear on the ham bands, would be motivated to get involved in the
hobby. Are these guys "contributing to the hobby"? I do wonder.

Most of us are involved in the hobby for our personal enjoyment, no more, no
less. Some small percentage may consider that they are "contributing".....
good for them, but such noble purpose isn't a requirement to be considered
"active".

You are, reasonably, interpreting my words in a different way than I
meant them. I was equating "generating RF on the ARS frequencies" with
"contributing to the hobby". I was actually trying to be more liberal
and include the folks whose interests involved designing or building
equipment (whether they used it or not on the air) or other positive
contributions like teaching classes, being active in their local club,
and so on.

Now that you mention it, I realize that "contributed to the hobby" and
"active" can be quite different. The malicious jammer, or the frequency
policeman on 75 meters, are "active". They may not be contributing to
the hobby.

Food for thought.

73, Steve KB9X