Steve wrote:
Of course, the flip side of this is figuring out just how watered down
and popularized we're willing to make the hobby in order to attract
"young people". In my opinion, if young people don't want to come to
the party, let them go elsewhere. I'll be too busy on the radio to
notice.

Unfortunately, at least in the US, Amateur Radio was a "service" and afforded
a lot of legal protection and privleges.

For example, you don't see a PRB-1 for CB or FRS. We don't have that and have
to register any antennas where we transmit an average of over 20 watts
(based on a 24 hour average).

You don't pay for licenses. ( I just paid $10 a year for a 4 year renewal).

You don't have to get a permit every time you buy a transmitter.

Eventually as enough "old people" die off, and "young people" go elsewhere,
even in the US Amateur Radio will go from a service to a hobby.

I remember the wonderful results when UPS wanted 220-222mHz for a nationwide
digital network. It disappeared faster from ham radio than you could say
"drop my package".

Ironicaly they never used it, but it was not given back.

How much longer is it going to be that the biggest ham radio company in the
US is MFJ? How many ham radio stores are there in your neighborhood.

I'm in a country the size of New Jersey and we have NONE!!!

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
I do multitasking. If that bothers you, file a complaint and I will start
ignoring it immediately.