"Larry Gauthier (K8UT)" wrote in message
...
Although these raw figures show growth up until 2000, they produce a false
sense of a ham radio as a "healthy hobby".
....
- consider the average age of licensed hams (
http://users.crosspaths.net/~wallio/LICENSE.html US figures are available
for comparison... we'll have to extrapolate that other nations are
experiencing a similar trend) the hobby could be seen as being terminally
ill, with very little fresh blood being infused by young hams.

I'm a relatively new ham (licensed in 2002), and I'm what the average ham
would consider "young" at 42. I was mildly surprised when I joined the ham
club where I work - MITRE, in Bedford MA. We host a Winlink node (club sign
is W1ON), we host a field day every spring. All the officers of the club,
except one, are younger than I am - late twenties/early thirties. And we
have at least a couple of women. Granted, MITRE is a technical company (R&D
for the US Govt), so we have a ready pool of technical men and women. But at
least we're contrary to the stereotype.

My point is - all is not lost. There is a younger generation in the wings.
Instead of complaining, get out and promote amateur radio. Yeah, cell phones
are cool, but they require a multi-billion dollar infrastructure to make
them work. Ditto for the Internet. Show a kid how a cell-phone sized radio
can talk directly to someone halfway around the world - without having a "4
bars" connection to the neighborhood cell tower, and you open up their mind
just a bit more than the normal classroom fare.

I wish the statistics proved otherwise, but I think your celebration of
the IARU charts is a bit mis-guided.
--
-larry
K8UT

BTW, Larry - my dad's name is Lawrence also. Nice to know there's more than
one Lau(w)rence Gauthier in the world. And one that spells Gauthier
correctly, too!

Jon Gauthier
KB1HTW

right on guys !

btw, many of those inactive hams are now returning to the hobby
due to retirement, kids at school or more spare time and the interest
is there.

I'm 46, tech ten years and general by june !

73 qro

"Jon Gauthier (KB1HTW)" wrote:

"Larry Gauthier (K8UT)" wrote in message
...
Although these raw figures show growth up until 2000, they produce a false
sense of a ham radio as a "healthy hobby".
...
- consider the average age of licensed hams (
http://users.crosspaths.net/~wallio/LICENSE.html US figures are available
for comparison... we'll have to extrapolate that other nations are
experiencing a similar trend) the hobby could be seen as being terminally
ill, with very little fresh blood being infused by young hams.

I'm a relatively new ham (licensed in 2002), and I'm what the average ham
would consider "young" at 42. I was mildly surprised when I joined the ham
club where I work - MITRE, in Bedford MA. We host a Winlink node (club sign
is W1ON), we host a field day every spring. All the officers of the club,
except one, are younger than I am - late twenties/early thirties. And we
have at least a couple of women. Granted, MITRE is a technical company (R&D
for the US Govt), so we have a ready pool of technical men and women. But at
least we're contrary to the stereotype.

My point is - all is not lost. There is a younger generation in the wings.
Instead of complaining, get out and promote amateur radio. Yeah, cell phones
are cool, but they require a multi-billion dollar infrastructure to make
them work. Ditto for the Internet. Show a kid how a cell-phone sized radio
can talk directly to someone halfway around the world - without having a "4
bars" connection to the neighborhood cell tower, and you open up their mind
just a bit more than the normal classroom fare.

I wish the statistics proved otherwise, but I think your celebration of
the IARU charts is a bit mis-guided.
--
-larry
K8UT

BTW, Larry - my dad's name is Lawrence also. Nice to know there's more than
one Lau(w)rence Gauthier in the world. And one that spells Gauthier
correctly, too!

Jon Gauthier
KB1HTW

http://www.iaru.org/statsum00.html

Sez
In 1960 there were 399,000 Amateur stations world wide
In 2000 there were 2,789,720 Amateur stations world wide

You have to be careful about these figures.

For example: in the UK the RSGB is well-known for telling lies about
their subscriber numbers. Ask them for detailed info on the subject
and they immediately refuse, claiming "commercial confidentiality"

And that's quite apart from the famous time they sent a "family
membership" form to someone's dog ...

.... I believe the owner actually filled it in and the mutt has been a
"member" ever since !


Young Nick

you have a better source ??
--
Caveat Lector (Reader Beware)



"Young Nick" wrote in message
...
http://www.iaru.org/statsum00.html

Sez
In 1960 there were 399,000 Amateur stations world wide
In 2000 there were 2,789,720 Amateur stations world wide

You have to be careful about these figures.

For example: in the UK the RSGB is well-known for telling lies about
their subscriber numbers. Ask them for detailed info on the subject
and they immediately refuse, claiming "commercial confidentiality"

And that's quite apart from the famous time they sent a "family
membership" form to someone's dog ...

... I believe the owner actually filled it in and the mutt has been a
"member" ever since !


Young Nick

Not according to the IARU page at URL:

http://www.iaru.org/statsum00.html

Sez
In 1960 there were 399,000 Amateur stations world wide
In 2000 there were 2,789,720 Amateur stations world wide

I suspect the figures have increased since 2000

How many are active? 1/10 of that?

Roland, NK2U

"Roland Stiner" wrote in message
...
Not according to the IARU page at URL:

http://www.iaru.org/statsum00.html

Sez
In 1960 there were 399,000 Amateur stations world wide
In 2000 there were 2,789,720 Amateur stations world wide

I suspect the figures have increased since 2000

How many are active? 1/10 of that?


I don't know -- do you ? Does anyone ?
Source please for your 1/10 figure
Ok have it your way -- only 1/10 are active -- multiply the above figures by
1/10.
(;-)

CL