[ARC5] Interest in "command" sets - where is a new generation?

[Michael Bittner]

Last summer I had some early 50's vintage portable radios for sale at one of 
the TRW swap meets.  A young fellow seemed interested in one of the sets and 
asked to look inside.  I said, OK, so he opened it up and the first thing he 
said was, "What are these glass things in here?"  Sigh----.
Mike, W6MAB
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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "DSP3" <jeepp at comcast.net>
To: <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2015 12:18 PM
Subject: Re: [ARC5] Interest in "command" sets - where is a new generation?


> If hamfests are any indication of interest in those less than 50 years of 
> age, then there is some, however small, hope.  What I regularly see are 
> old timers (never thought I'd say that) who readily recognize the various 
> vintage wares on your table, or those of lesser years who remark that they 
> think their father or grandfather had "one of those".  Finally, there are 
> a precious few genuinely young troops who come, and look, and ask. They 
> seem interested in acquiring something that's vintage _and working_.  They 
> appear to simply want a single item of yesterday to add to their activity. 
> I don't think they contemplate operation, though.  That may come later? 
> Personally, I missed the great 10 meter openings in the 50's.  I also 
> missed the surplus bargains (?) of the 40's.  If I had been around then, 
> its a coin-toss if I'd still be here, today.   I figure I came on the 
> scene at about the right time to be able to see, hold, have, and use the 
> past and the future of radio.  It may well be that the buggy whips we have 
> will fade away into landfills and such. Still, a few of any age may 
> appreciate and see fit to take advantage of a coming deluge of our 
> well-kept antiques.  I do not believe that the collection and restoration 
> of current technology will ever match those of the past 40-80 years.  I 
> can't see a Samsung S5 or your Ipod being coveted by much of anyone, 10 
> years from now.  For that matter, neither the Amalgamated Belchfire MK III 
> with 15 roofing filters and DSP be bringing top dollar after 40 years. 
> Well, maybe for a few years....
>
> Jeep - K3HVG
>
> On 11/19/2015 2:35 PM, J Mcvey via ARC5 wrote:
>> ARRL says membership is up.There are lots of young kinds into writing 
>> Apps, hacking  and games.Radio is a bit old hat to them, but there are 
>> some who have an interest in radio, but in a different way.They don't 
>> remember growing up tinkering with tube junk, so it's not likely that 
>> they will hare the same enthusiasm for the ARC5.I do my best to show the 
>> radios publicly whenever I get a chance. Who knows? It might kindle some 
>> kids curiosity about tube gear.
>>
>>
>>       On Thursday, November 19, 2015 1:24 PM, Leslie Smith 
>> <vk2bcu at operamail.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>
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