Back in 2001, Seattle had an earthquake (a small biggie- lots of damage) and
guess what, the cell phone system went down (up to 4 to 5 hours) and
landline phone system was trashed since everyone was calling either 911 or
their relatives, or what not.

BUT

Ham radio was alive and well, and we at the Western Washington Medical
Services group were able to maintain contact with the regions hospitals, and
blood banks, as well as other emergency services.

So, yes ham radio is maybe dying, but it is also a true and able way to
comminicate. Also note: when San Francisco had its earthquake, it was again
ham radio that got the word out to the world, since their cell phone systems
went down, and their landline system was in the same shape!
"labtech_one" wrote in message
...
I believe 'ham' radio is dying, because there is only so many times you
can
give
radio checks and tell others what kind of equipment you have. If I tune to
a
ham
repeater on my scanner, I hear the same conversations I heard 10 years
ago,
one
guy telling another one what type of radio he has connected to what kinda
antenna.
Every once in a while you'll hear someone announce the monthy meeting, or
some one
telling his wife he's caught in traffic and will be late getting home (
which he could have
done on a cell phone at 1/100th the cost, and not everyone would know he
wasn't home)

Ham radio is dying because its outdated, yes you can 'call across the
counrty' to another
'ham' for mere pennies ( once you buy the expensive equipment, put up a
god
awful ugly
antenna, as big as your garage, and pass all the tests to allow you to do
it ) I can do the same
thing using a cell phone with No Test, No Huge antenna, and can call
ANYONE
that happens
to have a phone and as a bonus... the whole world can't listen.

As far as being a hobby and 'fun', well maybe, but I hear more people on
ham radio talking
about the time they have in doing antenna swaps and maintance, that I just
can't even
imagine that being 'fun'.

Ham radio is much like the mail service, who actually sends a friend or
family a written letter
anymore ? you may get a birthday or christmas card with a 'note', you'll
get 'bills' and junk mail,
but when is the last time you either got or sent a long letter to a friend
or family? Newer technology
has rendered 'mail' obsolete, you have telephones, e-mail, instant
messangers, and FAX if you really
have to send a piece of paper, like a copy of a document.

Perhaps if they had dropped the 'code' requirements 30 years ago, they
would have picked up a lot
of new users, but as far as I can tell, most of the new HF class users
have
just upgraded from their
'tech' status with very few NEW members actually jumping on the band
wagon.


"deBaser" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
news On Sat, 22 Jul 2006 13:41:23 -0400, Al Klein
wrote:

That's evidently why the number of hams kept decreasing until code was
eliminated, right?

Ham radio is an old hobby, with mostly older people using it. Older
people
slow down as they age. Trying to tap out ANY speed code with arthritis
or
carpal tunnel syndrome isn't going to work for that majority.
I re-considered renewing my license about 5 years ago. Today I know I
can't
tap out 5 wpm. Forcing this outmoded relic of communication on an aging
generation is nonsense.
--
more pix @ http://members.toast.net/cbminfo/index.html

Well now you cant take a propper Morse test even if you wanted to in the
UK.
Now the amateur radio licence is free to renew online. If you want to
play
with digital communication using very low bandwith how about PSK31?
Anyway
I thought this old troll would be best posted in uk.radio.amateur

Andy