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

Thu Nov 19 18:11:31 EST 2015

I'm 81! I learned Radio/Electronics in the 50's with HIGH VOLTAGE stuff. 
REALL HIG VOLTAGE stuff. 45KW transmitters.

Bur I moved to solid state stuff in the 60's ( as a development engineer.). 
I have had some solid state ham gear but I prefer tube stuff. I still have 
some but have not used it in a year.

In the past year I have watched the week night activities on 40M declining 
as has the weekday activity on 20M.

The only time I was seeing any real activities was on contest days but I am 
not a contester. So I just stopped operating.

The United States electronic industry is mostly gone. Replaced by the 
software industry. "SV" used top mean "Silicon Valley" Not it might as well 
be "Software Valley". Most electronic development except for military has 
moved to Asia.

As a result I do not read the ham radio message lists very often. I do still 
have a 75M ARC-5 (ATA/ARA) pair that I was going to setup as a 75M AM 
station but figured it was a waste of time (and money)

Because of my age I cannot work CW anymore. Thought of using the computer 
but lost interest since there was so little activity on 40M.

Bob Macklin
K5MYJ
Seattle, Wa.
"Real Radios Glow In The Dark"

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Bittner" <mmab at cox.net>
To: <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>; "DSP3" <jeepp at comcast.net>
Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2015 12:53 PM
Subject: Re: [ARC5] Interest in "command" sets - where is a new generation?

> 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
> -
> -
> ----- 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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