MSGID: 1:135/250@fidonet 690c283a   
   PID: C-NET AMIGA BBS 5.36b   
   On Tue  4-Nov-2025  9:13a, Rug Rat wrote:   
   RR> This is being cross posted from FB (GAG), the comments were "Automatically   
   RR> turned off", so I could not get my 2cents in (Adjusted for inflaction).   
      
   RR> Thought though I would post it here, to drum up same activity and get your   
   RR> take.    
      
   RR> // Begin Copied Text //   
      
   RR> Ham Radio is Dying . not because of the internet, or technology, or .kids   
   RR> these days. . It.s dying because of us .. And before you blame the FCC,   
   RR> the internet, or kids these days, let's be honest ..   
      
   RR> IT'S OUR FAULT.... The repeaters are quiet, the club meetings are empty,   
   RR> and the *SAME* 10 people are running every event ..   
      
   RR> Meanwhile, we spend more time arguing about Baofeng's and Digital modes   
   RR> than actually talking on the air ..   
      
   1) I have been hearing "Ham radio is dying, since becoming licensed in 1996   
   and I am sure this has been going on long since I have became licensed.  For   
   the most part I turn a deaf ear.   
      
      
   2) Thats depends on your geography, in SoCal this is not the case (Though one2   
   of the things I miss about SoCal, is the wide area coverage repeaters 6 - 7k   
   mountains will give you.).  I will admit in the Florida panhandle this is the   
   case.  I have had more QSOs either on SIMPLEX (My Echolink node via the   
   EastCoast Reflector, or .520).  It is what it is, though that just gives me   
   more reason to get on HF.   
      
   RR> Meanwhile, we spend more time arguing about Baofeng's and Digital modes   
   RR> than actually talking on the air ..   
      
   Where are we arguing, if it is on the air (especially your local repeater),   
   that kind of negates your first argument.  What are these arguments about?   
      
   1) That some Baofeng models have issues that cause spurrious emissions at best   
   in band, or worse out of band?  Either way, that should cause you concern as a   
   radio amateur.   
      
   2) That people openly discuss operating the radio outside the amateur bands in   
   bands that require type acceptance?  Yes, I know people do it. Yes, I know it   
   has been going on long before Baofeng entered the picture (Using a mobile or   
   handheld radio on VHF Marine or Maritime HF because a second rig would take up   
   too much space.).  That doesn't make it legal, and people should definately   
   not be encouraging new hams to do this.  If you have a GMRS license, great,   
   just don't use amateur gear to use it.   
      
   RR> This is something I've been thinking about for the past 10 months (January   
   RR> 2025), and a lot of people do say Ham radio is dying and I tend to agree   
   RR> ..   
   RR> I scan 80+ frequencies across town (daily), and what do I hear... .   
   RR> STATIC.. I run my BF-F8HP PRO in Channel/Scan mode constantly.   
      
   RR> Maybe once a week I'll hear a net .. but it's the same check-ins, the same   
   RR> voices, reading the same old scripts (high blood-pressure, low   
   RR> blood-pressure, no-pressure at all, etc.) ..   
      
   So get on another net.  The East Coast Reflector runs some great nets, such as   
   the Morning Brew, Tech Net, Youth Net (Which is a great way to promote amateur   
   radio to young people).  Get your younger family members involved.  3rd party   
   traffic is not only allowed but ENCOURAGED (Which will make this post entirely   
   superfluous.), and my favorite Trivia Net.  Ham radio has always been what YOU   
   make of it.   
      
   RR> We call ourselves a communication hobby, yet half the time there's no one   
   RR> communicating .....   
      
   You obviously do not have any VOIP nodes or repeaters in your area, nor on HF.   
   Again the hobby is what YOU make it, and the amount of effort you put into   
   it.     
      
   RR> From what I hear .., local clubs are losing members faster than they can   
   RR> recruit them .. And when someone does try to spark interest, they're told,   
   RR> "THAT'S NOT REAL HAM RADIO" ..   
      
   Not sure how, "That is not REAL ham radio" has anything to do with club   
   membership or activity.   
      
   RR> This "gatekeeping attitude" of superiority is killing us from the inside   
   RR> out .. Get out of the "old man" mentality and let's welcome some new   
   RR> people into the hobby .. I've had it with the "holier-than-thou" attitudes   
   RR> of old hands ..   
      
   "Gatekeeping" another overused phrase to validate any argument.  Right up   
   there with "Sad Ham", "Fanboy" "Mysoginyst", and "Narcacist".  What exactly do   
   you mean?  Are you advocating making amateur radio an unlicensed service?    
   That will kill the hobby faster than anything.  If you think about the   
   privledge and responsibility we have of the myriad of bands we are allocated,   
   and how close we to other critical commercial bands, Public Service,   
   Navagation, commercial broadcast.  We are one of the few radio services that   
   are allowed to build out own equipment, modify and repair our own equipment,   
   not have to submit said equipment for costly and time consuming type   
   acceptance, etc.  If you opened it for everyone without licensing the chances   
   of losing swaths of frequencies, and being able to experiment go away.   
      
   Are you talking about feeling butt hurt because someone who has had more   
   experience in the hobby corrects you?   Get over it, a ham licnese is a   
   license to learn.  Someone usually always have a different oppinion than you,   
   you complain we aren't communicating, but part of interpersonal communication   
   is the abbility to listen.  In any facet of life you will have people who will   
   brush you off, if someone at a club meeting or convention gives you the cold   
   shoulder, likes Kenwood Vs. Yaesu, or tells you that you are not a real ham   
   because you have a BatFang, go find someone who does.    
      
   RR> I'm over it .. We've got to be welcoming to people in this hobby. And   
   RR> there's nothing that sparked me into this this little bit of outrage, but   
   RR> the fact is we've got to do better, folks ..   
      
   "Radar service terminated.  Switch to Unicom 128.500, G-day.".  While the   
   numbers might not be GREAT, people are getting licensed everyday.  You won't   
   be missed.  Sorry you want to believe otherwise.   
      
   RR> We're making mistakes (DRASTIC MISTAKES).... Let's talk about the next   
   RR> generation. Where are they... They're on Discord | They're on Twitch |   
   RR> They're on Tik-Tok | They're on YouTube | They're on Facebook.   
   RR> Building massive communities around gaming and streaming and science,   
   RR> technology, engineering, and math (STEM) .. They're not afraid of   
   RR> technology (they live in it) ..   
      
   While we are making mistakes recruiting people comparing it to onther   
   technologies, the mistake is not what you are using as an example, and this   
   comes more from people who couldn't sell an iglo to an Eskimo in positions to   
   promote the hobby.  I applaud the effort, I understand it is hard to get   
   people to volunteer their time to go to events.  Or like me, really hates   
   talking to people who are not already in the circle of what I am talking   
   about.  It's why I am not in sales.   
      
   I however cringe going to the fair, and hearing someone trying to entice   
   people to get into the hobby by saying, "Do you have a cell phone?  You have a   
   radio right in your pocket..".  If I had no interest in the hobby, or know   
   nothing about ham radio.  Telling me I already have something that will do   
   what you are trying to demonstrate.  I will most likely stop listening as I   
   already have it, and it has more features than what you are trying to sell me.    
   Again, I applaud the effort, and it would take a lot to get me to take their   
   place, but UGGGH...   
      
   The other part of the argument is useless. as social media is a terrible place   
   to learn physical electrical or RF enginnering.  Sorry, there just is not much   
   hands on practical education in SOFTWARE. Even with Software Defined Radio,   
   the only experience you may learn is user interface design.  STEM and MATH?    
   How do you get that from Discord, Tik Tok, or Facebook?  Sure, it takes   
   numbers away because you can effortly talk to people around the world, but ham   
   radio is so much more.   
      
   Anyway, that is my 2 cents....  Sorry for it taking so long, but I did get   
   back to it..   
      
   and, thank you for your thoughtful reply Sean.   
      
   Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)   
   Blog and Forums  - www.catracing.org   
   IMAGE BBS! 3.0   - bbs.catracing.org 6400   
   C-Net Amiga BBS  - bbs.catracing.org 6840   
   --- CNet/5   
    * Origin: The Rat's Den BBS (1:135/250)   
   SEEN-BY: 1/19 100 120 16/0 18/0 200 19/10 37 104/119 105/81 106/201   
   SEEN-BY: 114/10 116/116 120/616 123/0 25 126 130 180 525 755 3001   
   SEEN-BY: 123/3002 128/187 129/14 305 135/0 115 220 240 250 363 384   
   SEEN-BY: 135/385 390 391 142/104 926 153/757 7715 154/10 30 50 110   
   SEEN-BY: 154/700 201/0 203/0 218/700 840 220/20 30 90 221/1 6 360   
   SEEN-BY: 222/2 226/18 30 44 50 227/114 229/110 112 200 206 300 307   
   SEEN-BY: 229/310 312 317 400 426 428 470 664 700 705 240/5832 250/1   
   SEEN-BY: 266/512 275/1000 280/5003 291/111 292/854 301/1 320/119 219   
   SEEN-BY: 320/319 2119 322/757 762 325/304 326/101 335/364 341/66 234   
   SEEN-BY: 342/200 396/45 423/81 460/58 633/280 712/848 1321 902/26   
   SEEN-BY: 2320/105 3634/0 12 27 56 57 58 60 119 5020/400 5075/35   
   PATH: 135/250 115 3634/12 154/10 221/6 1 320/219 229/426