You cn worry about BPL 'till the cows come home. It won't make one
whit of difference if the number of active hams continues its steady
decline.


You couldn't be more wrong. I read a statistical study in which the number
of hams world-wide *and* in the U.S. has shown to be steadily increasing.


The life of
this hobby is at risk if the ARRL doesn't get it's collective head out
of the sand and make the radio hobby interesting enough to attract the
teens and 20somethings.

Cite some precedents - what is your basis for such a statement?

Precedents for what...your question makes no sense.

You said the hobby is at risk - prove it.

The only reason ARRL retains its out of date tests is to control access
to the bands, or to act as gatekeeper. And to keep an ever aging group
of members happy because they are requiring the same meaningless morse
code test that the grey hairs took 40 years ago.

Once again - *prove* the the reason the "...ARRL retains its out of date
tests is to control access
to the bands, or to act as gatekeeper..."

snip

Which retailers are going out of business?

They've already gone.

Ummm - the retailers I've dealt with for *years* are still in business.
You completely avoided an answer to my question - you didn't even
cite one example.


The morse code test is the equivalent of requiring prospective car
drivers to know how to control a horse and buggy. Fact is the 20
somethings have little or no interest in ham radio and all of its
quaint licenses.

I can discuss situations in which morse code is the most effective way
to communicate in certain situations until I'm blue in the face - it won't
change your mind - I've already cited examples and you didn't say a
word about them. I wonder why?