On Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:17:50 +0000, Channel Jumper wrote:

Think about it - Net time - those old hams - their knobs are set in
stone and they refuse to operate except on that one frequency. It might
as well be channelized.
40 meters - most people won't even turn the knob and you almost never
hear anyone yelling CQ - because the net people has their own little
channel where they talk and when they are done talking - they shut the
radio off.
20 meters on the weekend and evenings is just as bad.

10 meters is so quiet - the only people you get to talk to most times is
someone from somewhere else.
Then when the retarded contests comes along - you can barely find a
place to talk between 28.300 and 28.500 mhz.

80 and 160 meters at night is just as bad. All the cussing and swearing
and sex talk going on.

Then you have these new hams - the ones with the cell phones, the
internet and walkie talkies - because they do not understand how
transmitting works and they refuse to spend any money.

At the same time - you can't buy used equipment anymore, because the
vultures scarfs up all the used equipment they can find from the SK
hams.
Half the times it is sold on flea bay for more then it is worth!

The quality of people - with the CB radio crowd and kids taking it over
- it might as well be CB radio.
You can't teach people who's ears are closed and mouths are open.

At the same time, the doors on the old hams houses might as well be made
out of solid steel - because very few people gets into their shacks and
you definitely don't get to talk on their equipment.

Because the old hams refuses to teach the new hams, and because some of
the old hams are lousy LIDS and doesn't know how to operate in the first
place - nothing is being taught.

Its hard to teach ham radio to these people who's only radio is a hand
held.
What is there for them to learn except how to program it.

Have you considered a Digital mode? There are still mindless babblers but
at least you don't have to hear them. I run psk31 QRP DX. If I make a QSO
it is very short and to the point.