[amsat-bb] Re: Vanishing Hams

[Edward Cole]

Dave,

That's good to hear about.  Certainly there are younger folks still 
entering ham radio (great) but how many?  The younger hams like you 
have a better chance of relating to college age, teens, and younger 
than mid-60 year olds like me (there will be exceptions. of 
course).  This nothing new.

I think ham radio has somehow lost generally reaching out to 
newcomers at all ages.  I'm sure that for many hams, reaching senior 
years comes less energy.  But I have also found that a "newcomer" of 
any age is the most enthusiastic.  Some the best teachers were recent 
students (they can remember what they struggled with in learning the 
subject).  Likewise newcomers just relate better than someone who has 
had half a century at it (enthusiam sells more than knowledge).

Satellite should rank right in with the digital, dsp, psk-31, aprs, 
innovators.  Please add microwavers, eme'ers and qrpers to the active 
technical group.  The reason that it appears that there is no 
innovation going on in ham radio is more due to lack of advertising 
by those special groups...they are having too much fun doing.

Satellites are probably the most visible technical group in ham 
radio!  Its important that it continues to excite!

73 Ed - KL7UW

At 08:15 AM 7/17/2008, Dave hartzell wrote:
>Hi Ed-
>
>Interesting point-of-view.  I am a "younger ham" (e.g. 33 years old)
>and I have been around since I was 17.  What got me involved was a
>club reaching out to the youth, and making them interested in the
>value of the hobby.
>
>The current amateur clubs and organizations I am with that actually DO
>reach-out to the youth population are usually successful at generating
>interest.  I do what I can to reach into the university clubs, and go
>to events that have younger people, especially if there is a
>science/engineering "twist" to the event.
>
>The great thing is, at the same time I am trying to mentor younger
>folks, I am still being mentored by great guys (AJ6T, AD6IW, and
>yourself included through emails and your public works).  There is so
>much collective knowledge out there!
>
>73,
>
>Dave
>AF6KD (ex n0tgd)
>
>On Wed, Jul 16, 2008 at 11:09 PM, Edward Cole <kl7uw at acsalaska.net> wrote:
>
> > I do believe (hope) that ham radio continues for the remainder of my
> > lifetime as it has been central in my life interest (both hobby and
> > profession).  Another 20-30 years?  Or will quantum communicators
> > obsolete us in a shorter time span?