[ADXA] Future of Ham Radio

[WB5JJJ]

 Several of us locally have arrived at similar conclusions about the
"future" of ham radio.  All one has to do is look in the mirror or take a
gander around at local club meetings.  The overall age is maturing (getting
old and gray) at a rapid rate, and we are well aware of this.  The younger
generation is just not interested in something they can't control (
propagation).  Plus they are not into face-to-tace or vocal conversations.
They would rather have several text message groups going at once.

When I was working with the youth of today, I would constantly ask them to
call me instead of text after text trying to get things taken care of.
Most of the time, they would not call.  They told me a phone call was just
to restrictive, let alone coming to my office for a sit down conversation.
That was just one person they could communicate with at a time.  Not their
idea of efficiency.

Judging from questions I've seen on the various Facebook pages related to
ham radio, the new group of hams passed their tests in rapid succession
without any real nutz and boltz application to the theory they memorized
for the exam.  But, at least they are now in the ranks and hopefully they
will stay and become really active.  Someday, the FT crazy will wain as
conditions improve and they will find less and less folks to work.  Then
what?  Grab a mic and stutter through their first real QSO.  Scary thought
for them.

The question remains, just how do we entice the youth away from their cell
phones?  I don't know of anything.  Just look around at any gathering of a
cross-section of people.  The vast majority will be looking down and
missing the world around them.

A few years ago, I took a friends, teenage son to Europe for a couple of
weeks.  He had been bugging me for several years to go with me.  So I told
him that when he was 18, and with his parents permission, we would go.  I
knew it was going to be interesting.  He has NO interests other than his
cell phone.  So why did he want to go?  Probably to just say "I went to
Europe last week".  But all his friends already knew that.

As we traveled all over Copenhagen, London and Paris, I had to constantly
tell him to look up to see the sights.  He would snap a picture, look back
at his phone and text it to his groups.  I had to tell him to put down his
phone when we sat down to eat with friends.  He looked so annoyed at me.

But, worldwide, this is the new norm for just about everybody.  I use my
cell all the time, but I know when to have it out and when not to.  If it
rings while eating with friends, It's ignored as that call can wait.  Do
you remember when we got home from work or school and eventually checked
the message machine, maybe?

My 2 cents (and then some).

73's and Happy New Year all.

-- 
George - WB5JJJ
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