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

[Joe]

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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