wrote on Fri, 20 Apr 2007 18:00:34 EDT:

Are we in danger of being the last generation of hams?

I'd say no. At my test session of 25 Feb 07 there were at
least two teen-agers applying for an amateur radio license.
Given that I was born before the FCC was created, the "last"
generation would be at least three before me... :-)

(And if we are, what can we do to eliminate that danger?)

What "danger?" I see none. But more on that later.

First, a disclaimer. I'm into my fifth decade of being a licensed
amateur, and figure I'm good for 3 or 4 more sunspot cycles of fun. I
love amateur radio.

Well, I've been a licensed commercial radio operator since
1956 and a licensed radio amateur since 2007. It has, in
between getting a whole new station set up, been fun.

I can't presume to guess how many sun cycles I'll have and
I don't lose sleep over it. So far, I love my wife, but
sincerely doubt I would ever love any radios like that.

But I worry sometimes.

Our service will only continue to exist so long as the majority of the
worlds national governments believe that we bring value to the public
in exchange for the incredibly valuable RF spectrum that is entrusted
to our use.

I would suggest rewording that to say "bring value to the
citizens [of various nations] in terms of their enjoyment
and well-being" or something like that. I don't see that an
"exchange" of anything is necessary or warranted.

Pulling out the Red Book (NTIA) or the big chart in Part 2,
Title 47 C.F.R. on which radio service gets what in the EM
spectrum, we can find some items for USA citizens that
appear to have no intrinsic value whatsoever:

1. 30 KHz bandspace absolutely license free at 160 - 190 KHz.
Been there a long time in regulations, sees little use.

2. 400 KHz bandspace for CB (40 channels at "11m") for nothing
but Personal Communications. No license required. Heavily
used on highways, all states.

3. 1.6 MHz (!) bandspace at 72 to 73, 75.4 to 76 MHz, 80
channels for nothing but model air and surface radio
control. No license required. A very fun hobby.

4. There's more, also regulated by Part 95, Title 47 C.F.R.,
such as Family Radio Service unlicensed transceivers, but
you get the picture, I'm sure.

5. I'm not even counting the RF emitters of very short range
such as the Keyless Auto Entry transmitters (millions) or
the Bluetooth earpieces (look, ma, no wires to my cellphone),
the tens of thousands of Wireless LANs that have invaded
residences, the "WiFi" links of Internet to PCs, or other
RF emitters that make our lives easier now, replacing hard
wired or mechanical functions done previously.

All of the above services to citizens which could be categorized
as "unessential" services since they don't immediately secure
their absolute safety or insure their well-being. The above are
available in nearly all countries although their authorized
frequencies may vary due to their adminstrations' regulations.
Items (2) through (5) came into being within the last two decades
or so.

The model radio control bandspace is only 100 KHz narrower than
the worldwide 10m amateur band. Model radio control is pure
hobby-amusement and no modeler (that I've heard/seen) makes any
claims of supplanting vehicles in case of disaster or emergency,
nor is that hobby claimed to be a starting point for any
life-long career in using/designing vehicles, boats, or
aircraft.

I think if the members of ITU collectively asked "Are the hams of the
world doing anything which justifies their generous chunks assigned
spectrum?" the honest answer would be "Probably not."

I will ask "which chunks in what spectrum?" Hams of the HF
persuasion are one group, the "VHF-ers" (and up) are the other.
HF has been relatively static in change for at least two
decades, and decreased prior to that with many communications
services formerly on HF migrating to satellite relay.

The last HF amateur band worldwide use allocation happened in
1979 from the World Administrative Radio Conference and those
new bands are dubbed "WARC" for short by hams. 1979 was 28
years ago and there doesn't appear to be any new users begging
for HF bandspace. The new "channels" at 60m were assigned by
the FCC for amateur use based largely on ARRL lobbying, on the
basis of some kind of necessity of equatorial communications
for [hurricane] disasters. The lobbying does not, to me at
least, seem to take into account what the equatorial nations
have done or not done for their communications. Regardless,
the added amateur bandspace was just a few slivers.

In the world above 30 MHz it is a whole new ballgame. Demands
by business and governments up there are great. Nearly all of
the US government's "auction" monies on new service providers
come from there. The FCC's HDTV channel frequency reallocation
plan has resulted in hundreds of MHz of new bandspace for new
radio services, nearly all allocated under auction. Maybe there
was some effort of amateurs to secure a little bit of the "700
MHz" vicinity openings for hams but I can't recall seeing any.
But, the World Above 30 MHz is largely Line of Sight in use.
The only real crowding of those bands occurs in big urban
areas. There doesn't seem to be a Big Need for bandspace
above 30 MHz for US radio amateurs.

What are we going to do about that?

Speaking from 54 years from my first HF radio experience to
becoming a new amateur nearly two months ago and observing
EM spectrum use while working in industry in all the time
in between, I would say "don't take yourselves so seriously
within your radio service!" Amateur radio is a hobby, a fun
hobby. If other countries' hobbyists can enjoy some chunks
of EM spectrum just for hobbyist fun, then why can't the USA?

As to this whole claim of being a backup communications
provider when the infrasture fails in disasters, I have to
say show me in a detailed report where it was essential.
Having been required to design electronics for terrible
environments, I know that amateur radio equipment isn't
going to survive better than the infrastructures' gear.
[see May QST for one piece of equipment that didn't survive
Katrina...lost with one amateur's entire station]

The Public Safety Radio Services have their radios now and
use them every day. NOAA has its weather observation
services plus satellite downlinks. Harbor and inland
waterways have their radio services and plans for
emergencies there. The FAA routinely handles aircraft
emergencies every week with the aid of radio. Believe it
or not, the telephony infrastructure can come back to life
when its subscribers stop all trying to use their
switching system all at once; they've had battery backup in
central offices for more than half a century. Truckers
daily help fellow motorists on highways, sometimes alerted
over their CBs. Yes, amateur radio CAN be a help in
emergencies just as ALL citizens can be a help, with or
without any license for anything.

There hasn't been any need for trained morse code operators
for over a decade for any WWII-era "pool" to help the
nation. With anything in radio. The miliaries do adequate
training of their members, government radio with theirs.
I'd say the salient feature of amateur radio is its ability
to introduce newcomers to a fascinating technologically-
heavy activity...somethine they can have fun with while
learning. For youngsters it MIGHT be a starting point for
their eventual working careers. For adults and older folks
it can be just fun in itself. There's seemingly some
puritanical echoes in the general repeated "reasons" for
being IN amateur radio...those leave out the FUN element.
I see that as a liability to ham radio promotion,
diametrically opposite to being an asset. Is having fun
so terrible? Especially having fun while learning a new
technology (for newcomers) or new application (for those
already experienced)?

Recreation IS, to my mind, an asset for all. It diverts
our stresses from making a living, eases tensions, makes
a life experience more enjoyable. If that recreation can
also increase individuals' intellectual capacity, I say "so
much the better!" Maybe I'm biased having been IN the
electronics industry so long (sans 'benefit' of ham
license) and maybe because I happen to like the fascinating
technology enough that I liked most of my work. It has
been a great, stimulating trip for me and it is still
happening. It could be for others, too, those who look
forward instead of backward to what was, a was that will
never be again.

73, Len AF6AY

On Apr 21, 12:20�am, AF6AY wrote:
wrote on Fri, 20 Apr 2007 18:00:34 EDT:

Are we in danger of being the last generation of hams?

I'd say no. At my test session of 25 Feb 07 there were at
least two teen-agers applying for an amateur radio license.
Given that I was born before the FCC was created, the "last"
generation would be at least three before me... :-)

Perhaps "last era" of Amateurs may have been more appropriate and
descriptive.

(And if we are, what can we do to eliminate that danger?)

What "danger?" I see none. But more on that later.

First, a disclaimer. I'm into my fifth decade of being a licensed
amateur, and figure I'm good for 3 or 4 more sunspot cycles of fun. I
love amateur radio.

Well, I've been a licensed commercial radio operator since
1956 and a licensed radio amateur since 2007. It has, in
between getting a whole new station set up, been fun.

But has been, nonetheless, NOT Amateur related. Trying to
parallel Amaeur and Commerical HF radio operation is the proverbial
Apples-vs-Oranges argument. No doubt your commercial experience was
rewarding on it's own level.

Our service will only continue to exist so long as the majority of the
worlds national governments believe that we bring value to the public
in exchange for the incredibly valuable RF spectrum that is entrusted
to our use.

I would suggest rewording that to say "bring value to the
citizens [of various nations] in terms of their enjoyment
and well-being" or something like that. I don't see that an
"exchange" of anything is necessary or warranted.

But that "exchage" is exactly what's infered, albeit not
mandatory in PART 97.

Pulling out the Red Book (NTIA) or the big chart in Part 2,
Title 47 C.F.R. on which radio service gets what in the EM
spectrum, we can find some items for USA citizens that
appear to have no intrinsic value whatsoever:

1. 30 KHz bandspace absolutely license free at 160 - 190 KHz.
Been there a long time in regulations, sees little use.

2. 400 KHz bandspace for CB (40 channels at "11m") for nothing
but Personal Communications. No license required. He
avily
used on highways, all states.

3. 1.6 MHz (!) bandspace at 72 to 73, 75.4 to 76 MHz, 80
channels for nothing but model air and surface radio
control. No license required. A very fun hobby.

4. There's more, also regulated by Part 95, Title 47 C.F.R.,
such as Family Radio Service unlicensed transceivers, but
you get the picture, I'm sure.

5. I'm not even counting the RF emitters of very short range
such as the Keyless Auto Entry transmitters (millions) or
the Bluetooth earpieces (look, ma, no wires to my cellphon
e),
the tens of thousands of Wireless LANs that have invaded
residences, the "WiFi" links of Internet to PCs, or other
RF emitters that make our lives easier now, replacing hard
wired or mechanical functions done previously.

All of the above services to citizens which could be categorized
as "unessential" services since they don't immediately secure
their absolute safety or insure their well-being. The above are
available in nearly all countries although their authorized
frequencies may vary due to their adminstrations' regulations.
Items (2) through (5) came into being within the last two decades
or so.

The model radio control bandspace is only 100 KHz narrower than
the worldwide 10m amateur band. Model radio control is pure
hobby-amusement and no modeler (that I've heard/seen) makes any
claims of supplanting vehicles in case of disaster or emergency,
nor is that hobby claimed to be a starting point for any
life-long career in using/designing vehicles, boats, or
aircraft.

All of those allocations you cite are NOT Amateur Radio
allocations albeit they are deceidedly in the public interest to exist
since the public deamnds it.

How is this related to the longevity of the AMATEUR Service?

I think if the members of ITU collectively asked "Are the hams of the
world doing anything which justifies their generous chunks assigned
spectrum?" the honest answer would be "Probably not."

I will ask "which chunks in what spectrum?" Hams of the HF
persuasion are one group, the "VHF-ers" (and up) are the other.
HF has been relatively static in change for at least two
decades, and decreased prior to that with many communications
services formerly on HF migrating to satellite relay.

I'd say by the international press covering numerous uses of the
Amateur services recently that you're both incorrect.

Also, the the communications that Len refers to as "migrating to
satellite relay" are, once again, NOT Amateur Radio functions.

Snippage.

What are we going to do about that?

Speaking from 54 years from my first HF radio experience to
becoming a new amateur nearly two months ago and observing
EM spectrum use while working in industry in all the time
in between, I would say "don't take yourselves so seriously
within your radio service!" Amateur radio is a hobby, a fun
hobby. If other countries' hobbyists can enjoy some chunks
of EM spectrum just for hobbyist fun, then why can't the USA?

For many people Amateur Radio is a hobby.

For others it is a tool to be used for a greater need.

The wide brush applying "hobby" does not fit.

As to this whole claim of being a backup communications
provider when the infrasture fails in disasters, I have to
say show me in a detailed report where it was essential.

The Midwest Floods of 1992. Katrina. Rita. Andrew. Spetember
11th. At least accoriding to the NOAA, The American Red Cross, The
Salvation Army, The Department of Defense, The Department of State,
etc etc etc.

Having been required to design electronics for terrible
environments, I know that amateur radio equipment isn't
going to survive better than the infrastructures' gear.
[see May QST for one piece of equipment that didn't survive
Katrina...lost with one amateur's entire station]

ONE Amateur's...Amateur Radio's greatest strength is in its
multiplicty of resources...Every licensee is yet another "facility"
from which to draw upon. No one piece of radio gear is
indestructable.

The COMMERICAL infrastructure's weakness is it's limitied
numbers, complexity of technology and it's cost. AMATEUR Radio's
strengths are just the opposite.

The Public Safety Radio Services have their radios now and
use them every day. NOAA has its weather observation
services plus satellite downlinks.

Funny you mention the NOAA. One of thier "Enviromental Heros"
this past Earth Day was an Amateur licensee (KC5EZZ), and he was
recognized specificallly for his contributions to NOAA with an
extended Amateur Radio net.

Harbor and inland
waterways have their radio services and plans for
emergencies there. The FAA routinely handles aircraft
emergencies every week with the aid of radio. Believe it
or not, the telephony infrastructure can come back to life
when its subscribers stop all trying to use their
switching system all at once; they've had battery backup in
central offices for more than half a century. Truckers
daily help fellow motorists on highways, sometimes alerted
over their CBs. Yes, amateur radio CAN be a help in
emergencies just as ALL citizens can be a help, with or
without any license for anything.

There hasn't been any need for trained morse code operators
for over a decade for any WWII-era "pool" to help the
nation. With anything in radio. The miliaries do adequate
training of their members, government radio with theirs.
I'd say the salient feature of amateur radio is its ability
to introduce newcomers to a fascinating technologically-
heavy activity...somethine they can have fun with while
learning. For youngsters it MIGHT be a starting point for
their eventual working careers. For adults and older folks
it can be just fun in itself. There's seemingly some
puritanical echoes in the general repeated "reasons" for
being IN amateur radio...those leave out the FUN element.
I see that as a liability to ham radio promotion,
diametrically opposite to being an asset. Is having fun
so terrible? Especially having fun while learning a new
technology (for newcomers) or new application (for those
already experienced)?

Perhaps after you've joined some local Amateur clubs and actually
get an opportunity to exercise the privileges of your newly acquired
license your scope of experience as to what Amateur Radio is, can be,
and has been will be enhanced.

Recreation IS, to my mind, an asset for all.

It is.

But no where in Part 97 is the word "recreation" used.

That the Amateur Service does provide recreation is a given. But
some continue to insist that "recreation" or "hobby use" is ALL that
the Amateur Service is required to provide.

Almost 100 years of history has proven differently and even in
today's techno-saavy society continues to be so.

It diverts
our stresses from making a living, eases tensions, makes
a life experience more enjoyable. If that recreation can
also increase individuals' intellectual capacity, I say "so
much the better!" Maybe I'm biased having been IN the
electronics industry so long (sans 'benefit' of ham
license) and maybe because I happen to like the fascinating
technology enough that I liked most of my work. It has
been a great, stimulating trip for me and it is still
happening. It could be for others, too, those who look
forward instead of backward to what was, a was that will
never be again.

There's still plenty of time for you to expand the scope of your
HF experience, Len. Drop kick that "commercial operator" mode and re-
focus on AMATEUR applications for a while! You'll enjoy it!

73

Steve, K4YZ

From: wrote on Wed 2 May 2007 23:35:

On Apr 21, 12:20?am, AF6AY wrote:

There's still plenty of time for you to expand the scope of your
HF experience, Len. Drop kick that "commercial operator" mode and re-
focus on AMATEUR applications for a while! You'll enjoy it!

I will politiely ask you to rephrase that paragraph.

I cannot "drop kick" my previous life experience. In granting me
an Amateur Extra license, the FCC has not required that I give up
anything (as in discarding or "drop kicking") insofar as radio...nor
of experience in radio nor of formal training in radio. Further, the
FCC gives all licensees a great deal of freedom of choice in their
class's frequency spectrum and modes of communications. There
is no compelling mandate that any licensee must 'operate' in
according to what certain groups of amateurs say one must.

"Radio" and all of electronics works by the same laws of physics,
regardless of the federal regulations on use made by governments.
The jargon, phrases, type of communication conveyed may vary
between different administrated radio services, but the basic laws
of physics will still apply on RF generation and the way it is
propagated.

The scope, content of my personal activities are of no one's concern,
nor should they be. If I choose to convey my gained experience and
knowledge into amateur radio, that is my concern. Such might help
others with lesser experience and knowledge, not hinder anything.
I don't choose to isolate myself solely into some amateur lifestyle
and there is no specific requirement as to what I 'should' or 'must'
do as an amateur radio licensee other than obey the regulations.

In all electronic communications, telegraphy was first a commercial
activity, wired and by radio later. Single-channel single sideband
was first a commercial activity, first wired (in long-lines service
as
frequency-multiplexed multiple voice channels) then by radio..
Voice communications was first a commercial activity (via
broadcasting, first on AM then on FM). Data communications by
radio was first a commercial activity, wired then by radio (although
called 'teleprinter' before the word 'data' became the vogue). Tele-
vision was first a commercial activity, again via broadcasting. The
various TORs (Teleprinter Over Radio) were all a commercial activity
first. Both direct sequence and frequency-hopping spread spectrum
techniques were first a military, then a commercial activity. All of
those have since been adopted for amateur radio use. To "drop
kick" the commercial modes would be to remove all modes of
communications available to U.S. radio amateurs today...except
PSK31, a data mode exclusively innovated-invented-designed by
Peter Martinez, G3PLX, solely for amateur radio use.

73, Len AF6AY

On May 3, 3:52�pm, AF6AY wrote:
From: wrote on Wed 2 May 2007 23:35:

On Apr 21, 12:20?am, AF6AY wrote:

There's still plenty of time for you to expand the scope of your
HF experience, Len. Drop kick that "commercial operator" mode and re-
focus on AMATEUR applications for a while! You'll enjoy it!

I will politiely ask you to rephrase that paragraph.

Request refused due to lack of valid reason to do so.

Steve, K4YZ

On May 3, 4:52 pm, AF6AY wrote:
From: wrote on Wed 2 May 2007 23:35:

On Apr 21, 12:20?am, AF6AY wrote:

There's still plenty of time for you to expand the scope of your
HF experience, Len. Drop kick that "commercial operator" mode and re-
focus on AMATEUR applications for a while! You'll enjoy it!

I will politiely ask you to rephrase that paragraph.

some thing Never do change it seems



I cannot "drop kick" my previous life experience. In granting me
an Amateur Extra license, the FCC has not required that I give up
anything (as in discarding or "drop kicking") insofar as radio...nor
of experience in radio nor of formal training in radio. Further, the
FCC gives all licensees a great deal of freedom of choice in their
class's frequency spectrum and modes of communications. There
is no compelling mandate that any licensee must 'operate' in
according to what certain groups of amateurs say one must.

"Radio" and all of electronics works by the same laws of physics,
regardless of the federal regulations on use made by governments.

Nor should rop kickyou experence after all if you could achive that
state (which I doubt) would you even have an interest in the ARS? I
doubt it
In your case your professional eperence is what brought you here

In Mine it was lsitening to audio from the YomKippur year and I think
before that the 6 Day war. Our life experences are what makesus who we
are as people and as Hams

"drop kicking" Our experences is form a sucide in a very real sense


But of course you are right Maxwell equation et alldo not change
suddenlyin the Ham bands

I read alternitive history and sometimes in my nightmares wonder what
what following the Conventional wisdom back when we ham were banshihed
to USELES HF would have produced today

I hope and Belive that the ARS has a future

On May 5, 9:04�am, an old freind wrote:
On May 3, 4:52 pm, AF6AY wrote:

From: wrote on Wed 2 May 2007 23:35:

On Apr 21, 12:20?am, AF6AY wrote:

There's still plenty of time for you to expand the scope of y
our
HF experience, Len. Drop kick that "commercial operator" mode and r
e-
focus on AMATEUR applications for a while! You'll enjoy it!

I will politiely ask you to rephrase that paragraph.

some thing Never do change it seems

Let's leave that for another newsgroup to handle.

I cannot "drop kick" my previous life experience. In granting me
an Amateur Extra license, the FCC has not required that I give up
anything (as in discarding or "drop kicking") insofar as radio...nor
of experience in radio nor of formal training in radio. Further, the
FCC gives all licensees a great deal of freedom of choice in their
class's frequency spectrum and modes of communications. There
is no compelling mandate that any licensee must 'operate' in
according to what certain groups of amateurs say one must.

"Radio" and all of electronics works by the same laws of physics,
regardless of the federal regulations on use made by governments.

Nor should rop kickyou experence after all if you could achive that
state (which I doubt) would you even have an interest in the ARS? I
doubt it
In your case your professional eperence is what brought you here

Actually, military experience "brought me here." :-) That's given
at

http://sujan.hallikainen.org/Broadca...s/My3Years.pdf

My first interest in "radio" came about while flying free-flight model
aircraft in 1947. I'd heard about radio control and wanted to know
more. Of course, there wasn't much technology involved in 1947
for that. :-)


But of course you are right Maxwell equation et alldo not change
suddenlyin the Ham bands

James Clerk Maxwell was one of the rare geniuses who came
up with the basic equations defining electromagnetic waves.
"Maxwell's Equations" serve all radio of today...even if some of
the users can't understand what they mean. :-)


I hope and Belive that the ARS has a future

I'd like to think so, too. But, it must adapt to the times and
technology and not be bound to certain modes and procedures
established in the middle time of its existance.

73, Len AF6AY

wrote:

I think if the members of ITU collectively asked "Are the hams of the
world doing anything which justifies their generous chunks assigned
spectrum?" the honest answer would be "Probably not."

What are we going to do about that?

I'm frankly more concerned about the people aspect of this issue than
the spectrum issue.

As others in the thread have pointed out, HF spectrum is not
particularly valuable these days. I don't think we're in any huge
danger of losing those allocations. Even VHF and the lower end of UHF
aren't as sought-after as they once were.

The thing that bothers me is the decline in the number of active ham
radio operators. Ham radio as a hobby has many aspects, but most of
them involve collaboration with other people, either on the air or
otherwise. As the number of people declines, the potential for the
hobby as a whole declines.

I live in a rural area, so I see this trend more than those of you in
densely-populated areas. Our local club is teetering on the edge of
extinction, and the people who are involved tend not to be much
interested in radio -- they care more about the social aspects of
drinking coffee with their buddies. When it's time to mount some kind
of local effort, be it Skywarn, Field Day, or even the annual picnic,
it's harder and harder to attract a critical mass of people to participate.

I suspect that my view is atypical, but I don't know if it's atypical
because it forecasts what's in store for ham radio as a hobby, or
atypical because it's not seeing the positive aspects like young people
entering the hobby. But the future of the hobby depends on *people*.
We could have all the spectrum allocation in the world, but if there's
no one there to use it . . .

What are we going to do about it? I ask myself that question regularly
and still don't have a good answer. To me, the goal is to recruit young
folks into the hobby and to actually involve them so that they're active
hams instead of numbers in a listing. When I was a young ham, one of
the local high school teachers was an effective recruiter for new hams.
But then again, there was an electronics lab in that school, and I
doubt that many of those are left. Times have changed, and we need to
figure out ways to make ham radio interesting to the new generation. I
just don't know what those ways are.

73, Steve KB9X

Steve Bonine wrote on Sat, 21 Apr 2007 09:19:50 EDT:

wrote:
I think if the members of ITU collectively asked "Are the hams of the
world doing anything which justifies their generous chunks assigned
spectrum?" the honest answer would be "Probably not."

What are we going to do about that?

I'm frankly more concerned about the people aspect of this issue than
the spectrum issue.

That's a very valid concern and goes to the core of present-
day amateur radio activity.

As others in the thread have pointed out, HF spectrum is not
particularly valuable these days. I don't think we're in any huge
danger of losing those allocations. Even VHF and the lower end of UHF
aren't as sought-after as they once were.

True enough at the regulatory level.

The thing that bothers me is the decline in the number of active ham
radio operators. Ham radio as a hobby has many aspects, but most of
them involve collaboration with other people, either on the air or
otherwise. As the number of people declines, the potential for the
hobby as a whole declines.

Our entire USA society has far more available recreational
pursuits now than a half century ago when I was a young adult.
That affects every recreational activity, not just amateur
radio. It is also quite normal in human society.

On the other hand, the newcomers to amateur radio are, just
barely, keeping pace with the number of licensee expirations.
That has been going on for four years since the peak of 2003.
Further, newcomers have been entering the ham world above 30
MHz, a region quite different from the older, established HF
world.

Communication is a common desire in all human groupings. In
all forms. In 2004 the US Bureau of the Census reported that
one out of three Americans had a cell phone subscription. Not
bad for a public service that, 20 years ago, barely had enough
users to be worth a poll-taking effort. The Census Bureau also
said that one in five American households had some form of
Internet access; the Internet went public in 1991, just 16
years ago. Internet access is not possible without some form
of personal computer which, a quarter century ago, were things
only for computer hobbyists. We all have had wired telephone
service all our lives yet that didn't exist two centuries ago.
We have, nearly everywhere, more TV channels for news as well
as entertainment now than the TV Boom times of the 1950s. We
have the CDs for music, video, and personal data such as
photos (instant digital, no going to "have them developed").
We have boom boxes, IPods, and broadcast receivers built into
headsets. We are almost awash with individual information
and entertainment input. :-)

Considering all of the above, I was a bit surprised to see
so many folks younger than I (almost everyone is) in the 20
or so at my amateur radio test session of 25 Feb 07. There
were about 10 more in the beginning but those were doing
adminstrative changes or changing from Tech Plus to Tech,
clearing the room for the actual testing.

I live in a rural area, so I see this trend more than those of you in
densely-populated areas. Our local club is teetering on the edge of
extinction, and the people who are involved tend not to be much
interested in radio -- they care more about the social aspects of
drinking coffee with their buddies. When it's time to mount some kind
of local effort, be it Skywarn, Field Day, or even the annual picnic,
it's harder and harder to attract a critical mass of people to participate.

That is common in human groupings. Clubs are essentially
fraternal orders, though usually on a smaller scale. Some
were formed for a specific purpose, not necessarily for the
entirety of all amateur radio activities.

Clubs about specific activites will, over time, morph into
reflections of those in the club who wish to lead more than
be enthused about an activity per se. That is normal also.
Depending on the type of leadership, a club may or may not
be "good" for that activity. Unfortunately, quantification
of "good" tends to be subjective to every interpreter of it.


I suspect that my view is atypical, but I don't know if it's atypical
because it forecasts what's in store for ham radio as a hobby, or
atypical because it's not seeing the positive aspects like young people
entering the hobby. But the future of the hobby depends on *people*.

Absolutely depends on people. My issue with "my" national
organization is that they pay too much attention on extremes,
the long-timers and the newcomers. They almost ignore the
huge demographic grouping in the middle. They have made very
little attempt to recruit membership of the huge license
class (the biggest for years, without doubt) who were
restricted to the spectrum above 30 MHz in the USA. The
continuing emphasis in activities have been on "the bands"
referring to HF, the old ways of the hobby. That went, in
my view, from "gentrification" to "stratification." That
reflects downward to the local club level.

I'm all for "young people" entering amateur radio. But that
is not the only demographic source of newcomers. An objective
examination would show that "young people" are the most-
influenced by peer pressure and the tremendous entertainment
resources available to them now. Largely ignored is the
twenty- and thirty-somethings who have started to stabilize
in their life experience, have reached an economic level where
they can afford a hobby and have some leisure time available.

I've always heard the carbon-copy stories that described teen
"discoveries" of radio and that becoming their lifelong
passion. It was never in regulations that one had to be a
teen-ager to begin in amateur radio, nor any life oath of
obeisance to amateur radio had to be sworn. On closer
scrutiny, most of those teeners were such 40 to 30 years ago.
Times and our society have changed but most such story-
tellers seem to be unchanged.

... To me, the goal is to recruit young
folks into the hobby and to actually involve them so that they're active
hams instead of numbers in a listing.

That's an excellent beginning.

A caveat: If they are active, the activity does not have to
be activity of the mode of 30 to 50 years ago. Newcomers will
find their own way to their own desires of activity...just like
old-timers did a long time ago for their desires.

Newcomers are PEOPLE. They are not "recruits" (a la military)
who must be indoctrinated almost forcibly into certain ways.
While that is almost done in some clubs, it has a negative
effect and the newcomers tend to say/think unprintable words
to would-be leaders and drop out of the hobby in disgust.

Newcomers to the hobby don't all accept the "territorial
imperative" of the long-timer who continually implies "THIS
is how WE do it in ham radio." Newcomers can become familiar
quickly enough with accepted formality and self-styled "radio
cops" aren't needed on the air. Neither should there be a
continual expressed bigotry about CB by radio amateurs. CB
has been around for 49 years in the USA.

I would say that the amateur radio of now is interesting
enough to the generations of now. The statistics seem to
bear that out. Those actively engaged in recruiting
newcomers need to look around at what is popular to the
generations of now in ham radio. That may be the hardest
task of all...learning what is new by those who thought
they knew it all.

Clubs as "recruting stations" for ham radio need honest
enthusiasm about PEOPLE of all kinds, all ages, be friendly
on a people level and not try so hard at "selling" the
hobby. Newcomers who've shown up at a club have already
expressed enough interest to show up, do not need the
"salesmen" types who want to "make a deal" for them.


I just don't know what those ways are.

There's no sure-fire cure. I'm not sure that there needs
to be one. I've suggested a few but examples of good and
bad (and indifferent) leadership abound in the various
local fraternal orders and other-hobby clubs. As we agree,
times have changed. That is not only for amateur radio
but other hobby activities as well. We all have to change
to stay "with it."

73, Len AF6AY

On Apr 20, 6:00 pm, wrote:
Are we in danger of being the last generation of hams? (And if we
are, what can we do to eliminate that danger?)

in danger? perhaps we are but we have ALWAYS been in such danger

are we likly to lose specturm? almost certainly

are we doomed? not likely

OTOH we certianly could use to be more encouraging of new hams

was at a Hamfest only yesterday the first for my wife as arelitivly
new general and she felt kida out of place and not exactly welcomed
(She is someone that they don't know quite what to make of although
most of the folks in room are more likely to have talked to her on Air
than they haare to have talked to me" and fewer stil of know exactly
what to make of me but those are other stmatters

one thing our clubs and hamfest comittees could do is be a bit more
organized about welcomeing New Hams