On Sun, 20 Jul 2014 12:13:18 EDT, Foxs Mercantile
wrote:

Elsewhere, an estimate from the ARRL was that 50% of the
licensed hams (Almost 360 thousand) are inactive.

Also, it was noted that in response to a mass mailing of hams
in a locality, 50% of the mail came back as undeliverable.

In the mobility of today's society, filing FCC Form 605 (albeit
online at no cost) for change of address is one of the least priority
things that one must do when moving - 'cept for us who keep a P.O. Box
active (or someone who will receive and forward FCC mail for them).

Couple that today's USPS will only forward mail for 3 months rather
than the year that they used to.

I know as a whole, our average age is a bit high, but they
can't all be silent keys.

So what happened to them? How did we lose 50% of our licensees?

Obviously a large number of people took the time, however short,
to learn (or memorize) enough to pass the test and get a license.

What caused them to lose interest?

A large number of new hams get the license (and maybe buy a
China-knockoff) "in case they have to keep in touch with the family or
someone when the cellphone won't work" (as a goodly number of our
hospital employees and family members do). We won't see then on 20
meters working DX nor on 2-meter ragchews.

The scanner groups that I frequent have many postings about "in many
states it is illegal to have a VHF scanner in your vehicle unless you
have a ham license, so go out and get one, it's so easy nowadays".
This results in a class of licensees who never had the intent to be
on-the-air hams.

Granted that licensees in these categories are small in number, but
add them all up and they become a good part of the 50%.

Was it an equipment problem? Surely there should have been some
local ham offer to help them get set up.

Or was it a social problem?

Once they got their license, were they told they weren't "Real
Hams(tm)" because insert favorite reason here.

Our club - one of the largest "full service clubs" in the area - makes
a very concentrated effort NOT to do that, and we do sponsor upgrade
classes for folks who are so interested.

Were they ignored at meetings when they showed up?

Not at our club. We have a "greeter" (designated board member) at
each meeting to make newcomers welcome, and they are recognized from
the floor with applause.

Being beginners, were they helped? Or were they made to feel
inadequate when they asked a question because "Everyone knows
that."

We have an "Elmer circle" for an hour before each club meeting, and
it's well attended, even by "old timers" who see a need for keeping
current.

We also are the main VE testing group in Washington County (suburban
Portland, OR), so we encourage newly-passed hams to join our
activities. Many do and become very active hams.

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon