LOL!  I find it funny you use the Cell phone as an example.  I keep telling 
people that they are radios and they argue with me until I ask them how in 
the world they think their signal get's to the wires.  Hehehehaha.

... 73 ... KD5QHH ...  Jimmy ...
http://www.podsim.us
MSN or windows live... [log in to unmask]
Skype, jimmy.podsim ...blind people please note the period between the 
names.
Have a great day!


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Dresser" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2008 8:49 AM
Subject: Re: Echo Link WasRE: Introduction


> Lou,
>
> Let me add one more reason to your list:  Radio is so much a part of the
> landscape today that it just doesn't hold the fascination for younger 
> people
> that it does for those of us who grew up in the fifties, sixties, and
> seventies.  I wonder how many young people who are tightly connected to
> their cell phones even realize that they're actually talking on a radio.
> Sadly for the hobby, I don't think there's much we can do about this
> phenomenon, so we'd better support and embrace technologies like Echolink
> and IRLP.  If we don't, ham radio will go the way of the Stanley steamer.
>
> Steve
>
>
> Steve
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Louis Kim Kline" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2008 22:14
> Subject: Re: Echo Link WasRE: Introduction
>
>
>> Hi John.
>>
>> Don't kid yourself.  Those guys would probably never have upgraded with 
>> or
>> without Echo Link.  There is always an excuse for laziness:  I can't 
>> learn
>> the code, the band conditions suck, the equipment is too expensive, etc.
>> I
>> don't think they ever would have been an asset to the Amateur Radio
>> Service
>> anyway.
>>
>> Frankly, that is nothing new.  We've always had a certain amount of 
>> people
>> who never followed through with anything after getting licensed.  My own
>> father got his Novice license, never made a contact, and never upgraded.
>> I
>> think he eventually let his license lapse.  His only contribution to ham
>> radio was building my Heath HW8.
>>
>> Anyway, I think it is probably a mixed blessing because for every person
>> like the two you described, there are probably a couple of others that 
>> are
>> intrigued enough with it to try it out and eventually move on to other
>> things.
>>
>> Truthfully, I find the "gray" factor in my area to be a far bigger threat
>> to the future of ham radio.  Like it or not, the biggest problem is that
>> the hobby is top heavy with people beyond 60 years of age, and the older
>> members of the amateur radio service don't have the energy or sometimes
>> even the health to be out there and active, and newer and younger people
>> are not being drawn into the amateur radio hobby.  And, it could be
>> because
>> we are old stick in the muds about too many things and we are becoming
>> boring.
>>
>> 73, de Lou K2LKK
>>
>>
>>
>> At 11:06 PM 11/1/2008 -0400, you wrote:
>>>There won't be a "radio" part of it to use if we keep demonstrating
>>>echolink
>>>to potential hams and new hams. I used to have a simplex link up for a
>>>while
>>>until I heard some new ham saying he wasn't going to ever bother 
>>>upgrading
>>>his license because he liked echolink better since he didn't have to 
>>>worry
>>>about band conditions and the person he was talking to agreed with him. I
>>>pulled the plug on it right after that idiotic statement was made, and
>>>when
>>>I thought about it, I realized just how bad it really is and I'm so
>>>ashamed
>>>of myself for ever putting that link up. I kick myself daily for
>>>contributing to that kind of thought process and general stupidity. Why
>>>even
>>>get a license in the first place if you want to talk all over the world 
>>>on
>>>the computer? Oh well, no one will ever change my thought process on 
>>>that.
>>>It's a very lazy day and age we live in today and that unfortunately is 
>>>in
>>>general. As soon as I find something else to do I like, or if things get
>>>much worse on ham radio and it gets more to be ham computer, I'll 
>>>probably
>>>get out of it 100%. Many I know have done it due to that and the dropping
>>>of
>>>CW, I'm not as hot about the CW topic but I feel my years in ham radio 
>>>are
>>>probably numbered. Hopefully I can find a partner for my UHF repeater
>>>project so I don't have to find a home for that when that day comes that 
>>>I
>>>do pull out, or I might just move it to GMRS. Anyway, no one will ever
>>>change my thought process on this, I think the hobby is going away fast 
>>>as
>>>real radio and it kills me to see it. Hopefully when the HF bands get 
>>>good
>>>things will change, I'll wait for that but if not, I won't be around for
>>>the
>>>next one.
>>>It's funny though, everyone thought there would be problems on the HF
>>>bands
>>>with CW being dropped, I'm seeing a lot more problems on VHF than 
>>>anywhere
>>>and if it wasn't for the NTS and ARES/RACES involvement, what very little
>>>time I'm on VHF now would be 0.
>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>From: "John J. Jacques" <[log in to unmask]>
>>>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>>Sent: Saturday, November 01, 2008 8:37 PM
>>>Subject: Re: Echo Link WasRE: Introduction
>>>
>>>
>>> > Hi all, I believe that echo link is a great way to marry amateur radio
>>> > and the internet.  I enjoy accessing my echo link node via UHF simplex
>>> > but I can appreciate the ability to connect with just a PC, unlike
>>> > IRLP.
>>> > For example, last year, I was able to park my echo link node on the
>>> > local
>>> > club repeater, while I was in Michigan, allowing me to check into the
>>> > net
>>> > that I usually run, with my laptop!  Though I love all of the older
>>> > forms
>>> > of communication such as A M phone, I think we need to  use the new
>>> > technology that is available or soon, there won't be an amateur radio
>>> > service left to use!
>>> >
>>> > 73 and 88 to the YL's:
>>> > John
>>> >
>>> > John Jacques
>>> > Amateur Radio Station: KG7FA
>>> > "Where Cat Is,  Is Civilization!"
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>--
>>>No virus found in this incoming message.
>>>Checked by AVG.
>>>Version: 7.5.549 / Virus Database: 270.8.5/1763 - Release Date: 11/2/2008
>>>7:08 PM
>>
>> Louis Kim Kline
>> A.R.S. K2LKK
>> Home e-mail:  [log in to unmask]
>> Work e-mail:  [log in to unmask]
>> Work Telephone:  (585) 697-5740
>>