When I was first introduced to ham radio, I was told by many that it was a dying hobby. I’m glad I didn’t listen to them - in 1979.
73 de W0ZF On Sun, Aug 31, 2025 at 1:05 AM David Gilbert via Elecraft < [email protected]> wrote: > > 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: > >>>> Send Elecraft mailing list submissions to > >>>> [email protected] > >>>> > >>>> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > >>>> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > >>>> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > >>>> [email protected] > >>>> > >>>> You can reach the person managing the list at > >>>> [email protected] > >>>> > >>>> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > >>>> than "Re: Contents of Elecraft digest..." > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> Today's Topics: > >>>> > >>>> 1. Re: Effective ways to introduce amateur radio to newcomers? > >>>> (email) > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > >>>> > >>>> 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. > >>>>> ______________________________________________________________ > >>>>> Elecraft mailing list > >>>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > >>>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > >>>>> Post: mailto:[email protected] > >>>>> > >>>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > >>>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > >>>>> Message delivered to [email protected] > >>>> ------------------------------ > >>>> > >>>> _______________________________________________ > >>>> Elecraft mailing list > >>>> Post to: [email protected] > >>>> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > >>>> You must be a subscriber to post. > >>>> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > >>>> > >>>> End of Elecraft Digest, Vol 256, Issue 20 > >>>> ***************************************** > >>> ______________________________________________________________ > >>> Elecraft mailing list > >>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > >>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > >>> Post: mailto:[email protected] > >>> > >>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > >>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > >>> Message delivered to [email protected] > >> ______________________________________________________________ > >> Elecraft mailing list > >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > >> Post: mailto:[email protected] > >> > >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > >> Message delivered to [email protected] > > ______________________________________________________________ > > Elecraft mailing list > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > Message delivered to [email protected] > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to [email protected] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected]
