Great post!
Except that I'll differ on one point. We COULD come up with other ways
to use ham radio that might ... I say might ... be interesting to folks
who aren't predisposed to have an interest in it as it is now. Over the
past few years I have publicly suggested two or three ways we might do
that (don't worry, I won't bore everyone by repeating them here) and the
answer I ALWAYS got from almost everyone was along the lines of "that
isn't really ham radio".
We're dinosaurs that aren't wiling to evolve enough to survive.
Dave AB7E
On 8/30/2025 10:42 PM, KJ7SOY via Elecraft wrote:
I’m going to disagree with you completely. While I still enjoy SSB and CW, FT8
has supercharged my interest in radio. I find the study of propagation
fascinating now that I can watch pipelines around the globe open and close in
real time through digital communications. Watching WSJT-X streams and seeing
the propagation paths on different bands and matching that to atmospheric
conditions has given me a new appreciation for what’s happening over my head,
and I never get tired of observing and trying to figure out exactly what’s
making the bands open and close as I watch digital calls appear and disappear.
I don’t believe the existence of digital technologies has anything to do with
the decline in radio popularity. I think it’s far more likely that the growth
in instant digital communications mediums using cell phones has a lot to do
with it. I also firmly believe that, like any other human endeavor, it’s not
possible to interest people in radio unless they already have a predisposition
to it. They have to have that spark in them (no pun intended). All we can do is
show them an outlet for their interest.
73, Adrian
K7RJS
On Aug 30, 2025, at 10:13 PM, dyno lab via Elecraft <[email protected]>
wrote:
FT8 and some other modes have made it too easy to sit on our backsides and let
the computer do the work while we gradually lose interest.
It takes the excitement out of making contacts the hard way.
No wonder so many are giving up.
There was a time when we built our own equipment and could not wait to put it
on the air.
We need something that makes it hard and interesting again.
I thank the Ol Man Upstairs that I still find it really fun and interesting to
see a problem and go about building something to fix it.
73,
Hal
W7YNC
DynoLab.com
On 08/30/2025 6:51 PM PDT Glenn Maclean via Elecraft <[email protected]>
wrote:
I have to say. The on going Morse Code Class I teach at a local bar because the
owner is a ham and welcomes the class. I am little by little getting more
students that see our table and are curious. I give them my spiel about ham
radio and why Morse Code. Which is when boom boom the lights go out Morse Code
will always come through! Then the next thing I know I end up with a new
student who wants to become a ham! The new students are in their 20’s - 30’s
Glenn Maclean WA7SPY
Sent from my iPhone
On Aug 30, 2025, at 09:03, [email protected] wrote:
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: Effective ways to introduce amateur radio to newcomers?
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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2025 11:12:55 -0400
From: email <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Effective ways to introduce amateur radio to
newcomers?
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
Why ?? (Why is it necessary that we talk other people into ham radio in
the first place??)? WELL, In the USA, the average age (determined by my
browser) is 65 years old.? That means in 20-30 years, that 800K number
will be 400K without adding new (younger hams) ???
My kids are in there 30's (and have let the license lapse - but plan on
renewing ??)
My wife is not active...
I know a number of hams in retirement communities that are not active.
How many of the 800K are active ??
I have a friend (Scout admin I work with/for) that had a novice in grade
school, she let it lapse a number of years ago.? I have been giving her
Tech class info and she may have time to do the zoom class...? She did
like CW (still knows it).? I may give/lend her my "old" NorCal 40.? It
would be nice to have a kit again ??? for new hams.? The NorCal 40 is
simple to use and a single band dipole is simple to "throw" into a tree...
73, Steve WB3LGC
On 7/26/25 18:57, David Gilbert via Elecraft wrote:
Exactly.
Trying to talk people into being interested in things we're interested
in for the reasons we're interested in them is a foolish endeavor.?
Evangelism is boring and off-putting.? The best we can do is describe
what ham radio can offer and let people decide if that has any
interest for them.
If we have to convince somebody that ham radio is interesting to them,
then it probably isn't and even if they go along it won't last.
Which brings me to this question:
*
Why is it necessary that we talk other people into ham radio in the
first place?? * There are supposedly close to 800,000 licensed hams in
the U.S., which is a bigger market and a bigger pool of like minds
than LOTS of other activities.? Is there some sort of collective
insecurity complex going on every time this comes up? And it comes up
with annoying frequency on almost every forum.
Dave? ?AB7E
On 7/26/2025 2:27 PM, Fred Jensen via Elecraft wrote:
They almost all view ham radio from a utilitarian perspective, not as
a hobby ... they have hobbies and interests. Probably the largest
non-work interests were in the outdoors.
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