Two questions and a comment:
1. "Don't ignore the shut in or (very) tiny budget crowds ... etc"
Which of those things you mention aren't more easily possible via voice,
texting, or forum participation on their cellphones?
2. "I've tried to generate interest ... etc" Did you ever actually
ask anyone what changes/additions would make ham radio more interesting
to them?
3. NOBODY ever wants to discuss what might be added to ham radio to
make it more appealing to outsiders. Not a single suggestion from
anybody here has popped up in this lengthy thread ... which likely
hardly anyone even wants to follow anymore. The few comments that have
been posted mostly say that everything is just fine the way it is.
We don't have to look far to find the source of the problem. A mirror
would do the job.
Dave AB7E
On 9/3/2025 12:20 PM, Rick Bates, nk7i via Elecraft wrote:
Don't ignore the shut in or (very) tiny budget crowds. And that
(while most of us here in this group use HF, a LOT) there are other
bands besides HF which serve many purposes.
A simple (used) HT is enough to chat with locals on a repeater,
participate in rescues, nets (yuck, even if to show continued proof of
life) which may be intertied to other repeaters or networks. Contact
with outside the home when unable to leave (weather, medical condition
or aging) keeps the mind alive too, perhaps life saving. For someone
in a hospice or nursing home; it's a pleasant distraction of the daily
routine.
Then if you add in a local IRLP or DMR system; worldwide conversations
are possible too. From a simple HT.
That simply depends on what is in the chosen physical area and what
the noob wants to be active in doing. No HOA (cuss word) will be
annoyed, no outside antennas required; simple and easy.
The beauty of ham radio is that there are SO MANY rabbit trails to
fall into; there is no reason to be bored. DXing, contesting,
ragchewing, computers (digital comms), antennas, propagation,
waveforms, the list is endless.
Up here in N Idaho, there are a LOT of licenses issued, but very few
(proportionally) use them. Some preppers, doomsdayers and no one
seems interested in expanding knowledge or do much of anything. I've
tried to generate interest with the local 'club'; but 18 months
hitting the wall just gave a huge headache so I walked away.
I no longer even monitor the local repeater, just focus on DXing
(though I've done MANY other things over the last 50 years).
73,
Rick nk7i
On 9/3/2025 11:10 AM, David Gilbert via Elecraft wrote:
Here's why that, which has been done countless times already, has
been so minimally effective:
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