Tom,   
      
   TW>Even after I dod get my No Code Tech at club meetings I had to endure   
   TW>the "Old Timers" carping that NO Code Tech were not REAL Hams.   
      
     Sadly, there are still too many "old timers" who refuse to change, and   
   embrace the new technologies. The "purists" swear up and down that   
   "internet radio is not ham radio". From a technicality standpoint,   
   they're right.   
      
     However, with many hams (through no fault of their own, and out of   
   their control) are getting into situations where ham radio gear, RF   
   operation, antennas, etc. are strictly prohibited...due to covenants,   
   creeds and restrictions (CC&R's)...medical facilities where RF devices   
   would interfere with medical equipment...young kids still living at   
   home, where their parents won't let them put up antennas, towers, etc.   
      
     With things like "Packet Via Telnet", "Echolink" (via the single user   
   setup, or the app), "D-Star" (via DV Tools, and the D-Rats program),   
   they can still maintain a presence in the hobby. In fact, that's the   
   situation I find myself in.   
      
     Yet, I run 2 Echolink and 2 D-Star Nets per week, check into a Packet   
   Net to a BBS that has both RF and telnet access, then check into other   
   Echolink and D-Star Nets during the week. I'm literally running or   
   checking into a net on a nightly basis.   
      
     Several years ago, I was to run a net on Echolink in the San Antonio,   
   Texas area (even though I'm in Little Rock). Well, it turned out that   
   severe weather erupted in the area, and being a certified Skywarn   
   Spotter in central Arkansas, I started a Skywarn Weather Net on the   
   Echolink node...reading warnings and statements over the air directly   
   from the National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio website...while   
   another ham took spotter reports...and I was having a ball!! Weather was   
   quiet in my area, so I had no problem relaying the bulletins, even if it   
   was via Echolink.   
      
     Plus, I was recently able to take my laptop computer, with my air   
   card, a power supply, an external monitor, mouse, and keyboard, to a ham   
   radio club at a central Arkansas high school, and demonstrate those   
   modes...and also did such at a local hamfest last year.   
      
     I'm reminded of one ham radio operator, whose grandson was visiting   
   his grandfather's shack...and asked "what's so great about ham radio??".   
   Well, not one bit of grandpa's talk interested his grandson...that is,   
   until he sent a text message via D-Rats and Ham Radio to his grandson's   
   cellphone. His eyes got as big as dollars (WOW!!)...and his granddad   
   said "you can reply to it". That got him interested now!! :)   
      
     Seriously, we have to do something to interest the young people in the   
   hobby, and with the computers becoming more and more a part of the ham   
   shack, this is a way to do it. If we don't get new blood into the hobby   
   (and that's the same for any hobby), to replace those who are getting   
   out of it, or dying off...attrition will kill it...pun intended.   
      
     Besides, if the FCC were to revoke the licenses of all hams who did   
   not operate RF exclusively, the death of ham radio would come   
   surprisingly quick.   
      
   Daryl, WX1DER   
      
   ---   
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