I think we need to be focusing on the personal aspect of one on one
communications with someone who we have never met - without the need for
the internet, Facebook or any other internet app.
It is a thrill to me to be able to have a conversation with someone new
via ham radio.
Of course, even that element is fading out in ham radio with the
emphasis on quick DX contacts or contest points. Ragchewing with
someone new to get to know something about them personally or their
location is what gives me the thrill of ham radio. So sad to see that
element being diminished.
Bring ragchewing back, and I am not talking about the nets on 80 and 40
meters, it is reaching out to someone new and telling a bit about
ourselves and getting the same in return.
73,
Don W3FPR
On 12/22/2019 11:17 PM, David Gilbert wrote:
I think we already discussed that aspect, and the point is that young
people with a technological inclination are far more likely to be
interested in software, or robotics, or biomedical ... stuff that has
more relevance to advancing the world and actually leading to a job. It
might be a challenge to bounce a signal of the ionosphere but people
were doing that 100 years ago.
73,
Dave AB7E
On 12/22/2019 6:52 PM, Robert G Strickland via Elecraft wrote:
There is a constant refrain about "communicating with far away
places." No doubt that has been one attraction of our hobby. For
myself, I was never particularly interested in "communicating." For me
it was mastery of a technical environment. Communicating was just the
proof that the environment had been mastered. Another way of saying
this -maybe- is technology versus sociology. There are many
traditional activities that have been replaced by more modern versions
[eg, horses versus cars, walking versus bicycling, bow/arrow versus
guns]. Yet, there is still interest in the "old way," because the
earlier challenges remain in spite of more modern solutions. Getting a
signal from my radio, out into the ether, bouncing it off the
ionosphere, and back down on the other side is still a challenge.
Satellite links and the internet don't negate the ionospheric
challenge. Perhaps engaging prospective hams in the technical
challenges of the hobby will brings in those who like such challenges.
Communicating may be the benny on the other side of mastery.
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com