On Dec 5, 9:13 pm, AF6AY wrote:

What would be more indicative of 'health' might be a more detailed
sorting of public database information as to newcomers achieving
what class license as their first.

How would that indicate the 'health' of amateur radio, Len?

Whenever multiple entry-level license classes have been offered in the
USA, most newcomers have usually chosen the license class or classes
that were easiest to earn. That way they could sample amateur radio
without a big investment of time and effort, and learn-by-doing.

Of course some newcomers have bypassed the easiest-to-get license
classes and started out as Generals, Advanceds or Extras. Nothing
wrong with that, but how is it a measure of the 'health' of amateur
radio?

Such difference in perference would not be a 'moral flaw' of
newcomers despite what some boomer-generation-newcomer
licensees express now.

What does that mean, Len? Of whom do you speak?

The future of USA amateur radio belongs to the newcomers of now.

But not just to the newcomers.

The future of USA amateur radio belongs to all who are interested and
active in amateur radio, regardless of age, experience, license class,
or their particular area of interest in amateur radio. Simply being a
long-time-licensed amateur does not make someone irrelevant to the
future of amateur radio.

I think that the relatively minor number of existing licensees who
ARE doing things for newcomers, such as Steve Bonine described
in another thread here, are an EXCELLENT example of what should
be done...positive steps, proactive steps to help, not hinder
newcomers.

I agree that KB9X has done and is doing good things. But I think the
number of "existing licensees who are doing things for newcomers"
isn't minor at all.

73 de Jim, N2EY