> The only explanation I can think of is that
> the personal computer, video games (and maybe the mobile phone) drew their
> interest away from ham radio. But why did all those people bother to get
> their licenses in the first place?
>
I think this is exactly the problem. Young technically minded
people have a natural tendency to be competitive and a
yearning to part of what they perceive to be the future. When
I started college in 1984, the personal computer revolution
was starting to take hold. When I lived in the engineering
dorm, everyone was messing around with personal computers.
There was a natural competition that arose among the guys
as to who was the most knowledgeable or clever. I was the
only guy in the dorm interested in ham radio. Nobody else
seemed the least bit interested in ham radio. I think it was
looked upon as weird, or at the very least passe' (and this
was among a bunch of nerds). And this was long before cell
phones or the world-wide web became prevelant.
Amateur Radio is still a great hobby. In fact in some ways its
even better than it used to be (look at all the great design tools
we have at our disposal). Unfortunately, there is a lot more good
competition for the minds of young technically inclined people
these days. Computer networking is becoming so complex it
can be a world unto itself. I would bet that the hot shot kids
in the dorms these days are setting up wireless LANs, writing
javascript programs, sharing music files, setting up LINUX
servers, or trying to hack network security and DVD copy
protection. Radio (or "wireless") is probably seen just seen
as trivial detail down at the physical layer of the TCP/IP
network.
Of course, all this doesn't explain why amateur HF operating
hasn't declined as much in Europe as in Japan. European
contesting interest seems to be stronger than ever. Has anyone
figured out why Europe largely dodged the demographic
bullet that has hit Japan and to a somewhat lesser extent the
US? Or has it (perhaps my perception is incorrect)?
73 de Mike, W4EF..............................................
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