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Re: [CQ-Contest] Will there be anyone to work in 20 years?

To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Will there be anyone to work in 20 years?
From: Joe <nss@mwt.net>
Date: Thu, 30 May 2013 15:28:12 -0500
List-post: <cq-contest@contesting.com">mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com>
Re[ly to paragraph A below

This I agree 100%
I had a down time from ohhh 1993 till about 2005,
And when I fired up the Old Drake that was sitting in the damp basement, I thought it had died because while it would transmit I heard almost no signals. And I remember from when i got my ticket in 1975, a sunspot minimum even then the bands were every day full end to end. on SSB you very rarely would have a qso where there wasn't a grumbler down below or a squaky above you all the time. and it was like this till 1993 when i lost everything and was off the air.

Thinking the Drake was dead I saved and finally got a new to me used Kenwood TS-430S it is now 2010, and i hook it up and think I bought a piece of junk from the guy this is hearing no better than the Drake is.

The next weekend is I think is was SS Phone and wow the bands sound like they did every day. jam packed and full. this is what I remember every day being like.

But as soon as the contest was over the bands returned to emptyness.

Now that is a question,,, what has killed activity?

Joe WB9SBD
Sig
The Original Rolling Ball Clock
Idle Tyme
Idle-Tyme.com
http://www.idle-tyme.com
On 5/30/2013 12:44 PM, David Gilbert wrote:

A couple of comments:

a. I don't believe for a minute that the number of licenses translates to the amount of activity on the bands. Most bands are practically dead much of the day even now that the sunspot cycle has been high. At the very least that all time high for licenses doesn't equate to an all time high for activity. The only exceptions are during contests.

b. The last time that I bothered to check into the numbers, the number of new licenses was almost (as in the high 90 percentages) offset by the number of abandoned licenses, meaning that ham radio has very little traction with newcomers.

c. Compare pictures of ham radio conventions and club meetings taken today versus those taken 30 years ago. For the most part, everyone in view just looks 30 years older. Extrapolation isn't always justifiable, but in this case I think it is pretty much an irrefutable trend.

d. There is only one way to look at stars of your own choosing in real time. There are MANY ways (most of them of better quality than ham radio) to communicate with others in real time.

73,
Dave   AB7E




On 5/30/2013 7:28 AM, Joe wrote:
Similar Situation.

Go figure the guy (ME) that has limited income, what does he do? He has TWO hobbies that can be and now days mostly are expensive to do.

Radio, & Astronomy.

These two hobbies are very similar in nature. for the most part they are indeed hobbies one does alone.

And entry level Radios, and Telescopes are priced similar a few hundred bucks.

Then the top of the line stuff can be very expensive. Telescopes can make Radio equipment look like garage sale prices. Like $20,000.00 bucks! And just like radio that is just the scope. you still can spend thousands on prerferial support equipment. Like top of the line Eyepieces. Without them the scope can not be used. You look through the eyepiece. Top of the line ones can easily cost several hundred dollars just for one. And you need many to fully utilize the capabilities of the scope.

Analogy  Radio = Antenns,,  Telescope = Eyepieces.

And everything is similar ya got radios and telescopes, ya got Towers and antennas, and outside shelters for the telescopes. computers for both. as well as tons of other perferial support equipments.

I fount the two hobbies are complimentary, daytime play radio, cloudy nights play radio, clear nights use telescope.

There are clubs for each.
There are organizations that support and promote both like the ARRL for Amateur Radio, and the Astronomical League for Astronomy.

Thing is even tho the estimated population of Amateur Astronomers is hard to determine, (no license required and able to track) the latest estimate from the Astronomical league say that the population in the USA is between 300,000 and 400,000 people are interested in Astronomy, as a hobby more than just the casual interest, in other words just like the level of interest of someone interested in radio and was interested enough to get their license.

Even more similarities are
Amateur Radio has "HOA's" and CC&R's that restrict their ability to do the hobby,
Astronomy has Light pollution.

But there is one BIG difference that i see between the two.

Amateur Radio has more licensed in the hobby than it has ever had in history, yet all ya hear is how it is a dead hobby, and need to get more people involved. or it will surely die soon. 700,000+ licenced in USA alone

Astronomy maybe only has 300,000 to 400,000 in the hobby in the USA, yet the hobby is thriving and you never ever hear about it dieing. The only thing you hear is to be really serious about it you have to now either live where there are no lights, or spend hours driving to one hoping for good weather.

Imagine having to every time you wanted to use your radios having to do it AKA Field Day style! Where you can't do it where you live and you have to drive 500 miles to set up and play radio, thats what probably 90% of amateur astronomers now have to do.

Yet I have yet to hear one compliant about the hobby dieing and needing to get more people interested.

Interesting huh?

Joe WB9SBD

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