(Steve Robeson K4CAP) wrote in
:

Subject: News from France
From: Mike Coslo
Date: 5/9/2004 8:38 AM Central Standard Time
Message-id:

Alun wrote:

I always used to meet people who told me they would get a licence but
for the code test. I think we could have had them in the hobby if we
had abolished code testing 20 years ago, but I think it is too late
and we have blown it. Nobody is clamouring to becme a ham anymore.

WE haven't "blown" anything..."They" have had the opportunity to
get a
code-free license for what...12-13 years now..?!?!


Nope, we needed to give them HF while they were still interested.

If it weren't the Code test, it would be the written....If it's
not the
tests themselves, it's the perception that you have to have to have
enough equipment to rival VOA

My life's experience has been that for every hobby or avocation,
there
is a large group of people that "would do it except for....". What they
are actually tell you when they say this is " I have a passing interest
in this. But I'm not so interested that I will become a participant".

In hang gliding we call them "wuffos"...

As in "Wuffo you wanna do that..???" You oughtta see the faces
at
speedgliding events!

People in amateur astronomy also obsess about the graying of the
hobby,

and how do we get the kids involved? Fact is, a scope that can actually
be used for any kind of passable observation costs a fair amount of
money. And ohhh geee, the dufusses that wanted to get the little kids
interested in observing seem to have forgotten that Mommy and Daddy
don't want little Buffy or Jody (and by extension, Mommy or Daddy) to
be staying up all night and traveling to remote sites.....

Sure...and why go to all that effort when you can see Jupiter a lot
easier
with a bit of creative websurfing!

In ham radio, a person not only has to have the interest, they
have to
be willing and able to spend a fair amount of discretionary income on a
rig, put up an antenna, (if they are even allowed to) and all the other
things we have to do to get on the air.

I guess "fair amount" is realtive. You can put up an effective
HF/VHF/UHF
station for under $350/400 if you do a bit of shopping and don't want
all the latest bells and whistles. Then there are they guys with TOO
MUCH "discretionary income" and have stations who look like the
aforementioned VOA outlets!

Any wonder why lots of the new guys are the shack on the belt
types?
For kids, usually dependent upon M&D for their money, M&D are often
happy to spend 100-200 dollars on a HT. They might not look so happily
upon laying out $800-3000 for an hf rig, and putting up that antenna.
All the young hams in my area are repeater people, save for Field day.

This is where "Elmering" could come in and these youngsters get
introduced
to where/how to look for those used rigs.

Absolutely


Finally, the comparison of ham radio to the internet is amusing at
best. There is almost not technical comparison between the two. Beyond
the technogeeks such as myself, that spend a fair amount of time
keeping other peoples computers on the stinkin' Internet, the technical
acumen level is mighty darn low. How much ability is needed to surf
porn?

I dunno, Mike...How much IS needed...?!?! =O =)

My points are that blaming the lack of growth (which is an
arguable
thing in the first place) on the Morse code test is kind of like saying
that a frog with no legs that can't jump when you tell it to jump, is
deaf.

It is a hobby for the dedicated and relative few.

Yep...like I said...Amateur Radio (for those who participate
regularly) has
almost always appealed to a very narrow segment of society and always
will. All we need to do is keep it out there in front of those
"potentials" and wait for them to decide for themselves.

73

Steve, K4YZ

Subject: News from France
From: Alun
Date: 5/9/2004 9:13 AM Central Standard Time
Message-id:

(Steve Robeson K4CAP) wrote in
:

WE haven't "blown" anything..."They" have had the opportunity to
get a
code-free license for what...12-13 years now..?!?!


Nope, we needed to give them HF while they were still interested.

And once we "gave" it to them, Alun, what do you think they would have
done with it?

This is where "Elmering" could come in and these youngsters get
introduced
to where/how to look for those used rigs.

Absolutely

I forgot to add "what" to look for. No use letting them look if they
don't knw what to get! =)

73

Steve, K4YZ

(Steve Robeson K4CAP) wrote in message ...
Subject: News from France
From: Alun
Date: 5/9/2004 9:13 AM Central Standard Time
Message-id:

(Steve Robeson K4CAP) wrote in
:

WE haven't "blown" anything..."They" have had the opportunity to
get a
code-free license for what...12-13 years now..?!?!


Nope, we needed to give them HF while they were still interested.

And once we "gave" it to them, Alun, what do you think they would have
done with it?

Likely the same thing that you've done with it.

"Alun" wrote in message
...
(Steve Robeson K4CAP) wrote in
:

Subject: News from France
From: Mike Coslo
Date: 5/9/2004 8:38 AM Central Standard Time
Message-id:

Alun wrote:

I always used to meet people who told me they would get a licence but
for the code test. I think we could have had them in the hobby if we
had abolished code testing 20 years ago, but I think it is too late
and we have blown it. Nobody is clamouring to becme a ham anymore.

WE haven't "blown" anything..."They" have had the opportunity to
get a
code-free license for what...12-13 years now..?!?!


Nope, we needed to give them HF while they were still interested.

Why is that Alun? Do you think that getting out a decent signal on HF is a
piece of cake?

Daily I hear the newguys trying to contact someone. Getting sorry pathetic
signal reports and going away in frustration.

Wonder how many new HFers we lose like that? You know the ones that believe
its soooooo easy to get up on HF? Probably hundreds per week.

I do the best I can when I hear someone like that. But it gets really old
when you trying to have a conversation with a bud, to talk to all the S2
signals.

Perhaps 'giving' out HF is NOT the answer as you think.

Dan/W4NTI

Dan/W4NTI wrote:

"Alun" wrote in message
...

(Steve Robeson K4CAP) wrote in
:


Subject: News from France
From: Mike Coslo
Date: 5/9/2004 8:38 AM Central Standard Time
Message-id:

Alun wrote:

I always used to meet people who told me they would get a licence but
for the code test. I think we could have had them in the hobby if we
had abolished code testing 20 years ago, but I think it is too late
and we have blown it. Nobody is clamouring to becme a ham anymore.

WE haven't "blown" anything..."They" have had the opportunity to
get a
code-free license for what...12-13 years now..?!?!


Nope, we needed to give them HF while they were still interested.


Why is that Alun? Do you think that getting out a decent signal on HF is a
piece of cake?

Daily I hear the newguys trying to contact someone. Getting sorry pathetic
signal reports and going away in frustration.

Wonder how many new HFers we lose like that? You know the ones that believe
its soooooo easy to get up on HF? Probably hundreds per week.

Darn near lost me! Thank goodness I found a good Elmer. I was pulling
me hair out trying to put a station together.

No, Putting an adequate station together is not easy.

I do the best I can when I hear someone like that. But it gets really old
when you trying to have a conversation with a bud, to talk to all the S2
signals.

Perhaps 'giving' out HF is NOT the answer as you think.

Nope. Just imagine all the "why should I have to learn anything people
trying to do this. Perhaps they will sue the older hams for the
information to get a decent station going? ;^)

- Mike KB3EIA -

"Dan/W4NTI" w4nti@get rid of this mindspring.com wrote in
.net:


"Alun" wrote in message
...
(Steve Robeson K4CAP) wrote in
:

Subject: News from France
From: Mike Coslo
Date: 5/9/2004 8:38 AM Central Standard Time
Message-id:

Alun wrote:

I always used to meet people who told me they would get a licence
but for the code test. I think we could have had them in the hobby
if we had abolished code testing 20 years ago, but I think it is
too late and we have blown it. Nobody is clamouring to becme a ham
anymore.

WE haven't "blown" anything..."They" have had the opportunity
to get a
code-free license for what...12-13 years now..?!?!


Nope, we needed to give them HF while they were still interested.

Why is that Alun? Do you think that getting out a decent signal on HF
is a piece of cake?

Daily I hear the newguys trying to contact someone. Getting sorry
pathetic signal reports and going away in frustration.

Wonder how many new HFers we lose like that? You know the ones that
believe its soooooo easy to get up on HF? Probably hundreds per week.

I do the best I can when I hear someone like that. But it gets really
old when you trying to have a conversation with a bud, to talk to all
the S2 signals.

Perhaps 'giving' out HF is NOT the answer as you think.

Dan/W4NTI






And knowing CW is going to enhance their knowledge of how to set up and HF
station? I think not.

"Alun" wrote in message
...
"Dan/W4NTI" w4nti@get rid of this mindspring.com wrote in
.net:


"Alun" wrote in message
...
(Steve Robeson K4CAP) wrote in
:

Subject: News from France
From: Mike Coslo
Date: 5/9/2004 8:38 AM Central Standard Time
Message-id:

Alun wrote:

I always used to meet people who told me they would get a licence
but for the code test. I think we could have had them in the hobby
if we had abolished code testing 20 years ago, but I think it is
too late and we have blown it. Nobody is clamouring to becme a ham
anymore.

WE haven't "blown" anything..."They" have had the opportunity
to get a
code-free license for what...12-13 years now..?!?!


Nope, we needed to give them HF while they were still interested.

Why is that Alun? Do you think that getting out a decent signal on HF
is a piece of cake?

Daily I hear the newguys trying to contact someone. Getting sorry
pathetic signal reports and going away in frustration.

Wonder how many new HFers we lose like that? You know the ones that
believe its soooooo easy to get up on HF? Probably hundreds per week.

I do the best I can when I hear someone like that. But it gets really
old when you trying to have a conversation with a bud, to talk to all
the S2 signals.

Perhaps 'giving' out HF is NOT the answer as you think.

Dan/W4NTI






And knowing CW is going to enhance their knowledge of how to set up and HF
station? I think not.

That response does not surprise me a bit Alun. Based on the fact that you
do not know CW. How could you be expected to understand how much easier it
is to operate a simple CW station, that it is a phone one.

Dan/W4NTI

"Dan/W4NTI" w4nti@get rid of this mindspring.com wrote in
k.net:


"Alun" wrote in message
...
"Dan/W4NTI" w4nti@get rid of this mindspring.com wrote in
.net:


"Alun" wrote in message
...
(Steve Robeson K4CAP) wrote in
:

Subject: News from France
From: Mike Coslo
Date: 5/9/2004 8:38 AM Central Standard Time
Message-id:

Alun wrote:

I always used to meet people who told me they would get a
licence but for the code test. I think we could have had them
in the hobby if we had abolished code testing 20 years ago, but
I think it is too late and we have blown it. Nobody is
clamouring to becme a ham anymore.

WE haven't "blown" anything..."They" have had the
opportunity to get a
code-free license for what...12-13 years now..?!?!


Nope, we needed to give them HF while they were still interested.

Why is that Alun? Do you think that getting out a decent signal on
HF is a piece of cake?

Daily I hear the newguys trying to contact someone. Getting sorry
pathetic signal reports and going away in frustration.

Wonder how many new HFers we lose like that? You know the ones that
believe its soooooo easy to get up on HF? Probably hundreds per
week.

I do the best I can when I hear someone like that. But it gets
really old when you trying to have a conversation with a bud, to
talk to all the S2 signals.

Perhaps 'giving' out HF is NOT the answer as you think.

Dan/W4NTI






And knowing CW is going to enhance their knowledge of how to set up
and HF station? I think not.

That response does not surprise me a bit Alun. Based on the fact that
you do not know CW. How could you be expected to understand how much
easier it is to operate a simple CW station, that it is a phone one.

Dan/W4NTI




Look up what class of licence I have and when it was issued

"Alun" wrote in message
...

Look up what class of licence I have and when it was issued

And how am I to do that Alun? You have not seen fit to provide a callsign.
And I am not going to play detective.

Dan/W4NTI

On Tue, 11 May 2004 18:09:29 GMT, "Dan/W4NTI" w4nti@get rid of this
mindspring.com wrote:


"Alun" wrote in message
.. .

Look up what class of licence I have and when it was issued

And how am I to do that Alun? You have not seen fit to provide a callsign.
And I am not going to play detective.

Let me help out with that....it's in many of Alun's posts:

N3KIP - Extra class. Issued March 10, 2004. (is that the original
date, or a renewal?)

Or G0VUK, in the UK.


Dan/W4NTI


73, Leo