On Apr 7, 12:49 pm, "Bill Horne, W1AC" wrote:
According to a recent story on National Public Radio (NPR), the
Internet generation is re-discovering an older communications
medium. Reporter Matt Sepic said "Nearly 700,000 Americans have ham
radio licenses, up 60 percent from 1981".

Not at all a surprise. The issue I've always had with comparing Ham
radio to the internet is that it's a real apples/oranges thing. For
some strange reason, the internet is/was thought of as some sort of
high tech wonderland. I've been there for a long time, and high tech
the internet isn't. It's a matter of software and "which option do I
choose". While still a great medium, the internet is at least for me,
a tool, and doesn't hold a lot of interest, beyond what I need to do
my work and play with.

Whereas radio on the other hand, is what one might call a live medium.
It isn't automatic, even the person who uses only store bought gear
has to learn how to use it. And the settings need to be changed all
the time. Oddly enough some of the detractors of Ham radio liked to
point out how you could contact anyone in the world via internet. Yup
indeed. With Ham radio, you need to know the right times, right band
and right frequency, and sometimes have a bit of luck to contact
another ham across the world. But doing it without any structure
between you and the other guy or gal is the hook. I'll never forget
the first time I QSO'ed with a Ham in Australia on 10 meters. It would
be hard to feel the same about a phone call. Or a chat room.

I did have to chuckle at the part where the article notes that die
hard Hams have to agree that Amateur Radio will never be a mainstream
hobby. It's true, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

- 73 de Mike N3LI -