Wanting to learn about things technical was considered anti-social in the 1950's and 1960's so that hasn't changed.
73,
John KD6OZH
----- Original Message ----- From: "kc6uqh" kc6uqh@cox.net To: bruninga@usna.edu; K5GNA@aol.com; amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2008 05:06 UTC Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Vanishing Hams
Amateur Radio Operators are more than operators, they have the skills to keep thier equipment working and find inovative ways to remain on the air in times of emergency.
Our youth of today have become operators of electronic toys for thier own self amusment. The wanting to learn about things technical is considered anti-social by today's youth.
Either there will be a swing in attitude or we will be entering another dark age. The efforts of some 60 e mails I received on this subject tonight could have been better spent on construction of a new antenna or?
Art, KC6UQH ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Bruninga" bruninga@usna.edu To: K5GNA@aol.com; amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 12:03 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Vanishing Hams
Today, with CB, Cell Phones, cordless phones, FRS, etc. -- everyone is a radio operator. Now, military communications is done with a keyboard or microphone -- pretty much universal skills now.
Do not overlook how kids use key-pad text-messaging as the greatest revolution in communications of all time... Even some old-fud adults are learning how to use it..
Then consider that APRS has had global text-messaging (and email) via the keypad of the D7 and D700 radios for over 10 years now, yet how many old-fuds ever even considered using it or introduced this exciting new capability to their kids?
You can even send text-messages or emails from your HT or Radio from anywhere on earth via any of the APRS satellites (ISS, GO-32, PCSAT-1, etc)... We even suggested that everyone should learn how to do this and exercise it during Satellite-Simulated-Emergency-Tests. You can even use any old TNC and any old radio to do this. See: http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/sset.html
Although the Amateur Radio Community shines when there is loss of communications during a disaster, with newer technology, even that could change.
What is hard in ham radio is "change". We basically have to wait for some ops to die in order for some new things to be tried and to take hold...
Maybe the ARRL needs to sponsor an award for bringing new Hams into the community. Otherwise, someday, no one will remember what those letters even stood for.
A good start might be to sponsor an award for old fuds that try something new... And then show it to a kid... <wink>
P.S. Only about 2% of ham radio operators use APRS, and probably only 10% of them (0.2% of all hams) have tried this global text messaging (or email) feature. Yet, even 10 years ago, and ahead of its time we had it in Ham Radio!
From an old fud..
Bob, WB4APR
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