From: John Smith on Jun 8, 5:35 pm

Yes.

Well, you cannot disguise the fact that the over 60 crowd just don't
have the energy or enthusiasm as the teenage to 30 crowd--or the fact
that these younger people are actively engaged in the research,
development and production phases of electronics. Why they may
effectively hang on limiting the hobby--this cannot not go on
indefinitely...

And, while it is true only those with a wet diaper can truly appreciate
change--change is in the wind... the next decade should provide a dip
in number of licenses which has never been seen before... this is only
the beginning...

The mighty macho morsemen cannot conceive of that. They are
immortal. They RULE. [they've said as much...]

However, "energy and enthusiasm" is a function of both individual
genes and mental outlook. "Enthusiasm" in half-century-old state-
of-the-art techiques and practices should be consigned to niche
nostalgia places, not kept as federal regulations.

Many of the stratification crowd seem to hang onto their
"enthusiasm" of their young days as if it were a lifeline to
some imagined fountain of youth promising that they will
remain younger than springtime by holding to old paradigms.
[Rodgers and Hammerstein could do a great musical opera on
that if Rodgers wasn't a silent (piano) key and Oscar wasn't
a silent pen...but it wouldn't play in Newington] [well,
maybe a version of "Carousel" since these olde-fahrts keep
going around and around and around...]

My own viewpoint is different. By virtue of being born when
I was, my lifetime has seen the comming of the solid-state
era and the definite decay of vacuum tube technology...that
bringing a virtual explosion of different applications, new
and exciting SOCs (Systems On a Chip)...plus a whole new set
of passive and semi-active components and ways to hold them all
together. Technology-wise that is truly WONDERFUL and
MARVELOUS. We all have the capability of high-speed data and
imagery communications internationally, 24/7, no worries about
the condition of the ionosphere...all for less than $2000 in
today's dollars to get a "mainframe" computer on a desk and
a year's subscription to an ISP. Buy-sell-trade, do personal
banking, keep family in touch at all times etc., etc., etc.
My personal enthusiasm on the technology just grows and grows
from keeping in touch with the new developments and seeing
the products (some delivered to my door after electronic
ordering). I'm not going to see the end of even if the
mortal world sees my end. That's the way of humans being.

Others, the stratification crowd, the staunch defenders of the
status quo, demand a HALT to progress, NO CHANGE. Keep all
nice and tidy and belonging just the way it was when they were
young. Psychological reassurances of their "safety." Denial
of the fact that they ARE getting on. Denial of the fact that
other, younger people MIGHT be interested in doing this ham
radio hobby thing. Oh, some of them whip up some adrenaline
and do lip-service to old, trite phrases of "helping youngsters"
and all that but the MUST keep THEIR playground in their order.
NO changes allowed. Most don't help, don't bother to learn how
to help.

Why would a young person of today WANT to study morse code just
to communicate on HF? Other than being in a "ham family?" The
Internet opened to the public 14 years ago and most of the world
is connected to the net. A shrink wrap CB transceiver is available
over the counter for less than $100, complete with antenna and
microphone. A pair of FRS hand-helds costs only $50 maximum and
permits 5 mile two-way talking with isolation via digital mode.
A cell phone with a built-in camera costs less than $100 and can
communicate anywhere within range of a cell site...to the rest
of the telephonic world. One in five Americans have cell phone
subscriptions. Need to send documents across country fast? Go
to chain drugstores and use their FAX machines. All sorts of
quick communications possibilities for all today. COMPETITION
OF INTEREST. Competition of quality and dependability. And all
that hasn't touched on the OTHER advantages the younger folk have
today, things that are entertaining, interesting, mind-holding.

In truth, some young folks LIKE certain old things. That's been
true in every generation. The best-ever stagecoaches are built
today...in either California or Arizona (depending on your guild
location)...for movie and TV use. Horseback riding is for personal
pleasure today. It isn't a requirement to survive as it once was.
When we want to send a telegram today, it is done by data modes
probably through fiber-optic lines, transmission at relatively
unlimited speed, securely and without error. No one has to go to
the old train office and have some manual telegrapher translate
it and send it at 10 to 20 words per minute. That was for times
older than a century ago.

Today's ham can purchase a top-of-the-line HF transceiver, fancy
antenna and tower, peripheral gizmos up the gazoo, all for less
than $5000. They get rock-solid frequency stability and read-out
of same down to 10 Hz increments...Digital Signal Processing,
"VFO 'split'" with frequency memories, sharp crystal filters to
reduce QRM and QRN to a minimum...even operate it through a PC!
None of that was available in a single package a half century ago.
But, the olde-fahrts can sit back and dictate all MUST test for
the 161-year-old "technology" skill of morse code on that HF.
Incredible dichotomy. Incredible hypocrisy.

Actuarial tables will manifest themselves. The mighty macho
morsemen WILL have their morse keys pried out of their cold,
dead fingers. Your prediction will come to pass. Perhaps
much sooner than they expected. RIP.

Bip Bip