perhaps the only difference in the hobby these days is that its a little
less of an alete group of techy minded individuals and is more open to many
different people with different levels of education and who have other
interests, perhaps not the biggest of which is amateur radio?
is there something terribly wrong with folks on the air who dont spend all
their waking hours on the radio or dedicate their lives to ham radio?
If they use it as a higher form of CB, well, what is wrong with that, since
that is precisely what it is. Amateur radio is a hobby dedicated to
communications through radio devices and which is regulated by licensing but
availible to all citizens regardless of their race age sex bla bla bla,
which, as it happens, is what the CB band happens to be, except without the
licensing aspect. Citizens band, and with ham radio, bands.
Ham radio doesn't have to be all about radio, its about people and the
social interaction of people from all over the world who have different
interests and different points of view...its not supposed to be all about
the discussion of radio theory, or how many contacts you made in the last
contest or about how to build antennas, at least, not all the time.
There is no reason for the hobby to be open only to those who are
technically minded or who give their all to the hobby. Its open to anyone
who chooses to pass the regulated accepted and rather thorough exam that is
in place to make sure they have some level of understanding and know their
responsibilities.
73
Colin, V A6BKX
----- Original Message -----
From: "Fred Olver" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2005 8:47 PM
Subject: Re: Reflections on the Past 44 Years
> 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
> >>
>
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