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On Apr 7, 12:49 pm, "Bill Horne, W1AC" wrote:
According to a recent story on National Public Radio (NPR), the Internet generation is re-discovering an older communications medium. Reporter Matt Sepic said "Nearly 700,000 Americans have ham radio licenses, up 60 percent from 1981". Not at all a surprise. The issue I've always had with comparing Ham radio to the internet is that it's a real apples/oranges thing. For some strange reason, the internet is/was thought of as some sort of high tech wonderland. I've been there for a long time, and high tech the internet isn't. It's a matter of software and "which option do I choose". While still a great medium, the internet is at least for me, a tool, and doesn't hold a lot of interest, beyond what I need to do my work and play with. Whereas radio on the other hand, is what one might call a live medium. It isn't automatic, even the person who uses only store bought gear has to learn how to use it. And the settings need to be changed all the time. Oddly enough some of the detractors of Ham radio liked to point out how you could contact anyone in the world via internet. Yup indeed. With Ham radio, you need to know the right times, right band and right frequency, and sometimes have a bit of luck to contact another ham across the world. But doing it without any structure between you and the other guy or gal is the hook. I'll never forget the first time I QSO'ed with a Ham in Australia on 10 meters. It would be hard to feel the same about a phone call. Or a chat room. I did have to chuckle at the part where the article notes that die hard Hams have to agree that Amateur Radio will never be a mainstream hobby. It's true, and I wouldn't have it any other way. - 73 de Mike N3LI - |
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