Larry wrote in
:

"Dee Flint" wrote in
:

Changes in requirements don't have any effect
when the potential recruits have no idea that the hobby even exists.


I bumped into this post after a couple of hours on Skype with a ham
buddy of mine in New Zealand. I was 5-9 for the whole QSO and I don't
have an antenna.

Who do we call "potential recruits" under these conditions? What's
the point, any more? (Please don't point me to that old BS about
emergency comms.

Respectfully, your perspective on Amateur Radio is a bit narrow. It
isn't just about talking with other people. If all a person wanted to do
was talk, they are much better off picking up the phone. And they were
much better off a long time and on many other comm modes before Skype
came around.


I went right through the eye of Hurricane Hugo in
Charleston in 1989, talking on Cellular One's AMPS bagphone to worried
friends in Ohio as I stood in the street, in the eye, looking up at
the stars in a completely destroyed neighborhood.

1 data point. We had a snowstorm that took down most of the power
lines in our area a few years back. Everyone tried to call their worried
friends and took the cellular network down almost immediately. If cell
phones were reliable, they wouldn't spend all that money on emergency
comm systems.
If they stay up, that is great. Use 'em if you got 'em. (however
even if there is power, during emergencies they tend to get overloaded)

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -