I think I have noticed something, I think, tell me what you think.
I am a 'tech', and glad to have 'this' ticket, and have worked 'on the
code' off and on. But my point is, I use/listen on two meters and 440
locally. In the last several years, I 'hear' pagers of all kinds in
the ham bands. Keep that thought in mind. Also a few years back I
recall reading about different ""Companies ''" wanting/trying to use
the 440/two meter band for sat freq, and business in general. I know
I don't have that 'info' detailed and with footnotes, but I am sure
you recall what I am talking about. There is JUST so much spectrum,
and lot of
business looking to use it. All (90%) of the hams I know are pretty
old, you go to a ham fest , convention, and there are very few young
people. I have had the ''''idea'''' that if ham radio is left to it
own wishes, what is the likely hood that some "Service" will eat the
old, dying , and the dead. I don't advocate the 'ham bands' turning
into 11 meters, but I don't "think" we should refuse to see the
"writhing on the wall',,,, I would just hate to see something like,,,,
ten years from now , almost everyone in the US, walking around with a
cell phone in there pocket, all using the """Ham bands"". Just my 2
cents......What do you "think"? cl 73

On Fri, 01 Aug 2003 06:31:42 GMT, kc5cqa wrote:

All (90%) of the hams I know are pretty
old, you go to a ham fest , convention, and there are very few young
people.

Consider that the typical three-day-weekend hamfest/convention costs
about $300 excluding transportation if one is not lucky enough to
live in the immediate area. Add to that transportation (for me
usually about $150 when I go to Pacificon, quite a bit less when I
go to Seapac) and it gets to be "real money".

OK, so I'm 66 years old and have been a ham for 52 years. When I
started out as a hugh school student, all the hams I knew were my
age (high school and college friends) and none of us could afford
going to a ham convention. Some of us would go to the Institute of
Radio Engineers convention exhibit in New York (local to us) on the
last day to see if we could scarf up samples of components
(capacitors, resistors, tube sockets, etc) which the exhibitors
would give to young hams just as the exhibit was closing. Those
days are gone (sob).

Our local ham club - the largest in the state - has quite a number
of young hams as members and we encourage programs to interest young
people in becoming active in ham radio. Some of our regular 2-m net
weekly checkins are folks less than 16 years old.

--
73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon
Oregon Tualatin Valley Amateur Radio Club

In my ARES group of qty 40 hams, one is a college age teen, no one in age
group 20's or 30's, about 15 in their 40's, 2 age 80, 5 in their 70's, the
rest in their 50's and 60's. The older ones are always willing to elmer the
younger ones. We all learn from each other. One 80 year old gentleman, a
former WWII fighter plane mechanic, is the most dedicated guy I have, always
available and willing to work to the best of his ability.

Steve

"Steve Stone" wrote in message
...
In my ARES group of qty 40 hams, one is a college age teen, no one in age
group 20's or 30's, about 15 in their 40's, 2 age 80, 5 in their 70's, the
rest in their 50's and 60's. The older ones are always willing to elmer
the
younger ones. We all learn from each other. One 80 year old gentleman, a
former WWII fighter plane mechanic, is the most dedicated guy I have,
always
available and willing to work to the best of his ability.

Steve



I've often thought we really need to get more people in their 40s or so into
the hobby and resurrect the interest of current hams in their 40s. Why?
Well people in their 40s are established and have many productive years
ahead of them. They are the ones who have the time and money to be
significant participants in elmering, recruiting, operating, political
involvement, etc. Yes we will also need young people but their
participation is, of necessity, limited by the fact that they are just
getting started in life and thus don't have as much discretionary time and
money since they must focus on starting their careers and families.

And as the comment above shows, hams of any age are an asset to the hobby if
they choose to be.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE