I've been reading most posts with regard to this topic, but for me, the one
thing that I keep hearing is that as the number of individuals involved in
the hobby went down, the more pressure there was from manufacturers to get
more folks involved, hence the lowering of requirements both CW and
theoretical.  I have heard it said that amateur radio is a dying hobby, in
say 100 years there won't be any of us around, so we'll not know, but I must
admit, for me, as the Cw requirements were reduced it seems to me that
following the rules went right down the tubes with it.  When you had CW
requirements for a license to get on the air the first time, by the time you
handed that person a microphone they already for the most part had good
operating practices.  Now, they memorize the answers, and go from the CB
band to the ham bands, and with the possibility of lots more power.

Remember when you would actually hear guys talking about "Ham radio", when
they got on the air?  Bet, for the most part you don't any more.

Fred Olver  n9bso  [log in to unmask]
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anthony Vece" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2005 6:06 PM
Subject: Re: Reflections on the Past 44 Years


> The number of repeaters doesn't concern me.
>
> Their are a lot of 220 repeaters in the Philadelphia area that need a
> lot of work.
>
> However, the number of users is not really important either.
>
> I would rather have 100 good amateur radio operators who look out for
> each other and who promote the hobby then have a thousand users that
> act like jerks.
>
>
> 73 De Anthony w2ajv
> [log in to unmask]
>
> On 20 Jul 2005, at 14:23, John Miller wrote:
>
>> I don't see any decline in 2 meter repeaters either though I do see
>> less
>> users but I'm not sure if it's less users any more than it's most
>> of who is
>> on migrate to a few certain ones because everyone knows everyone.
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Butch Bussen" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2005 12:58 PM
>> Subject: Re: Reflections on the Past 44 Years
>>
>>
>> Where do you come up with the "decline in number of 2 meter
>> repeaters"?
>> Not here in Vegas, you can't find a clear channel, not only on two,
>> but
>> most of 440 is taken up as well.  I've heard very little of what
>> I'd call
>> cb type operation here in Vegas, and when we do hear that from a
>> new ham,
>> we take them under our wing and show them how it should be done.  I
>> do see
>> a decline in people willing to volunteer for ham activities.  Most
>> clubs
>> I'm in, it is the same few who are the "people who do things", but
>> to some
>> extent, it has always been that way, whether you're discussing ham
>> clubs
>> or church groups.
>>
>> 73s
>> Butch Bussen
>> wa0vjr
>>