As of 06/08 the ham population in the US is 658,711, 05/08 - 658,272
In 1970 it was ~ 280,000 In 1980 it was ~ 390,000 In 1990 it was ~ 485,000 In 2000 it was ~ 682,240
That sure looks "way bigger" to me! Maybe not to you. But I can say based on the statistics that the last couple of years has seen an overall increase in the ham population in the US. The peak was 2003 at 687,860 and that figure is what the author of the original article used. I still haven't figured out where he came up with a decrease of 50,000 and even he admits he got the figures wrong in the comments following the main article.
With all due respect sir your figures are way off!
See http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=13872 For more statistics from 1999 to current.
73, Jeff Moore -- KE7ACY
----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Danehy" jdanehy@cinci.rr.com
The ham population in the USA is ~ 800,000 + . Those figures are taken from the Federal Communications Commission data. [snip] But to say : " the ham ranks are way bigger" is, in my opinion not accurate from an American view point. You might think that the codeless license would have made a big difference. It did not. I often kid some of my friends with the statement that there are only two modes : CB and CW. Of course CW is the oldest digital mode. I believe that the USA ham ranks peaked about a decade or two ago.
Jim W9VNE on the air since 1952
now!!!
----- Original Message ----- From: "Simon Brown (HB9DRV)" simon@hb9drv.ch To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 3:58 AM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Amsat-BB
From: "Jeff Moore" tnetcenter@gmail.com
- Compared to 10, 20, and 30 years ago, the ham ranks are way bigger
now!!!
And older - much older. Older means richer, just look at the radios we're buying and stations we're building these days.
Anyway, it would take one wealthy Ham to leave his estate to AMSAT DL to be used to launch P3E in his memory. Any volunteers on the list?
Simon 'Not Dead Yet' HB9DRV
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