You forgot the most important part....
How about helping out the rest of the world in emergencies?

After any disaster, the first comunications out of the effected area comes
from hams. NOHA gets a lot of there hurricane information from hams in the
affected area. Sometimes while the ham op is in the middle of it.

When all else fails...we are there!!!!
Been there, done that
Joe


SNIPPED

Removing the code requirement at this late date would do little to
increase the number of hams applying for a license. At one time,
possibly 30 years ago it would have made sense to replace the code test
with one that emphasizes skills that actually have a use in the real
world. Sadly, I think that there is little that can be done to attract
younger hams into the hobby. There are just too many license-free ways
of communicating with people from around the world.


Amateur Radio is about much more than "communicating with people from
around the
world".

Amateur Radio is about LEARNING !!! LEARNING some physics, learning
about
sunspots, learning about antennas, learning about propagation, learning
about
some electronics, learning about digital communication techniques,
learning
about VHF propagation, learning about microwaves, learning about wide band
tv
systems, learning about narrow band tv systems, learning about ... [you
complete
the phrase].

If you just want to talk around the world, use CB. If you just want to
talk
around town, use FRS. If you want to LEARN about radio become an Amateur
Radio
operator [make a commitment to LEARN].

/s/ DD, W1MCE