In article "KØHB" writes:

But you could shoot off a cannon on 2M most of the time and it wouldn't hit a
soul. Nobody. Not a signal to be heard. Some days you can scan every channel
in sequence for hours on end with not a peep heard. Then go to each QRG in
sequence and transmit "K0HB LISTENING". Nobody home.

Well, "listening" generally is taken by an increasing number of folks as
meaning you are listening, not that you are soliciting a call. If I hear it,
and I also have some reason to talk to you, I may call. Of course, if I had
something to call you about, the cellphone in my pocket probably already took
care of that.

If you want to talk to someone, call them, or call cq.


I travel a lot, to large cities like Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Tucson,
Kansas City, Indianapolis, Detroit, OKC, DFW, Tucson, Phoenix, Denver, El
Paso/Las Cruces. It's the same everywhere. Just a scattering of signals on the
bands, but EVERY PAIR spoken for.

True. 10 - 15 years ago, they were busy. Now --- silent. It seems that way
everywhere.

I know that for me, I now have a small car with no good place for a rig, and
park in places where one might not want to leave one in the car. At home, being
married sort of cuts in to sitting in front of the radio all evening.

I don't know what took the interest away for everyone else. However, with
nobody on to talk to, I am less interested in solving the problems in the car
to get on, so if others are in the same boat, we all contribute to the
silence.

Alan
wa6azp