Topband: The Future of Ham Radio

[W0MU Mike Fatchett]

The sad part is that most, not all, don't care if they hobby dies.  They 
are simply in it for themselves.


On 10/26/2017 11:32 PM, WT2P - CJ Johnson wrote:
> (this is a non-topband related matter but I feel I must chime in -- 
> mostly because if you scare away the next generation of topbanders, 
> there won't be a topband)
>
> I wish most of you (agree or disagree with the ARRL) were in 
> attendance at the W9DXCC Convention this year where Tom spoke very 
> powerful and thought provoking words about the "Next Generation Ham"
>
> We as ham operators can sit around and lament all day about things 
> that divide us, or you can get with the program to get new hams in.
>
> How you work your awards or your contest operations, that's fine! I've 
> won a total of *one* plaque in my ham radio "career". Yay. Woopee. 
> Most of my friends are pissed at me for spending weekends in front of 
> a radio (which is abstract to them) just to win wallpaper.
>
> K1NZ who is younger than me hits the head on the nail with this post. 
> If you really want to know what 20-somethings (and to be honest, 
> myself and hams that grew up in the 90's) are thinking, read and 
> re-read that post.
>
> 73,
> WT2P
>
> On 10/27/2017 12:03 AM, Nick Maslon - K1NZ wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I apologize if this is not the place for this, but the recent FT8
>> discussion has gotten me to thinking. I'm one of the younger hams in the
>> hobby. I got my license and extra at 20 and am 26 now. I was 
>> semi-active on
>> the phone bands up until late 2015 when I moved into my current 
>> apartment
>> and put up a bunch of wire antennas. I have a G5RV, 30m dipole, and a 
>> 160m
>> L. Now, I am one to admit that I'm not all that proficient at Morse, 
>> but I
>> can fudge my way through a QSO. Because of this, I have almost 
>> exclusively
>> (outside of contests) turned to digital operating. I, personally have 
>> that
>> thrill of working a new one on whatever band regardless of mode, even if
>> it's a JT/FT mode. I just worked my first Bahrain on 40m FT8 tonight and
>> cracked a beer to celebrate.
>>
>> My whole reason for writing this post is because of the "You can play 
>> in my
>> sandbox only of you play my way" mentality. I am referring to the JT/FT
>> modes if you want to be specific. I am lucky in that I rent from my 
>> uncle
>> who doesn't care what wires I put up. On the other hand, most people 
>> my age
>> are either living with their parents or are renting from people that 
>> will
>> not let them participate in the hobby. In addition, I'm part of the vast
>> minority of hams who got licensed before they were 40. I'll be blunt. 
>> It's
>> going to be hard to retain teens in this hobby. Once they find 
>> girls/boys
>> and go off to college, we might as well write them off for 20 years. 
>> This
>> is an old (wo)man's hobby. It requires disposable income. I've barely
>> cobbled together a station myself, but I'm limping along because of 
>> my love
>> for this hobby.
>>
>> I hate to say it, but this whole mindset is why the youth of today are
>> turned off from ham radio. Why should I pump hundreds of dollars into a
>> hobby if I'm going to be greeted with "You need to learn CW" "FT8 is
>> ruining the hobby" "You're not a real ham because you didn't pass the 
>> code
>> test." I realize that new things involve change and that change is 
>> scary,
>> but can we please welcome people into the hobby, even though that future
>> isn't what is comfortable? Isn't is better to be using the bands than 
>> for
>> them to be sold off and forgotten? This hobby is extremely 
>> multi-faceted.
>> Can we please not judge and harass the people that want to get 
>> involved? I
>> guess the whole reason why I wrote this post is because I'm sick of 
>> the "DO
>> IT MY WAY" mindset. Can we please just get back to having fun and ignore
>> the politics?
>>
>> 73 es gud DX,
>> Nick K1NZ
>> _________________
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>
> _________________
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