"Dave" wrote in message
news.com...


What do you suppose is the time frame before what we now consider
ham radio 'old world style' is completely gone? I still use CW on a
regular basis, but I notice that I never work anyone younger than myself
(42). That means there are no new-comers to speak of.

I don't think it will ever really go away completely. It will be a legacy
mode forever to some one/groups. Just like AM phone is today. And as long
as ham radio is on HF, it will be there.

I have run into several young people that are into CW. One recently that
was Extra at 11, and is now running serious CW. She got ahold of me on the
internet for a sked for this state (AL) that she needed for 5BWAS.

About a year ago I chatted with another young lady on CW. A college
student.

There out there. But I agree, its is slowly going to drop way off.


And I hear
really really bad CW, even in the extra segment of the bands, which tells
me that more and more folks are getting on the air with very little CW
skill - I'm sure it won't be long and there won't be any CW left at all.

Well that shows me they are trying, and willing to put it to use. That is
a GOOD THING to me.
But....I really think they should do it out of the low end of the bands.

But what about radio in general? Shortwave is going digital, and it just
seems to me that it's just a matter of time before SSB, AM, and CW
are all just 'historical modes' and studied with the casual disinterest we
now pay to spark transmitters and coherer detectors.

I give it all 10 years, tops. No more CW heard after that - ham AM will
be
gone, AM SW broadcasting will be gone (except for the jesus crowd).

What say you?