[ARC5] dying hobby?

[mstangelo at comcast.net]

I listen to the bands with an SDR receiver or see if they are opened. When listening to the 10 meter band I see there is usually more SSB activity on the "Freeband" between 11 and 10 meters than 10 meters. It kinda makes sense; Hams have multiple bands to play owith but these Freebanders are limited to one band. Also most Ham "communications" these days is with FT-8/FT-4.

The freebanders see to have call letters; I wonder how they get them? Is this allocation legal for CB radio in some countries?

I do lots of portable operation and meet people who are familiar with Amateur Radio; I hear "My grandfather/father was a Ham". Some of them are traveling in RV's and tell me that CB and GMRS radios are popular for RV'ing these days. 

Mike N2MS

 
> On 08/04/2023 11:55 PM EDT hwhall at aol.com <hwhall at compuserve.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> >I guess the old 27 MHz CB band is pretty much real gone dead, maybe only a few logging operations out here still use it. I actually in recent history heard
> on some late night radio talk show ads for Uniden CBs, which amazed me.
> 
> I've been seeing youtube videos aimed at preppers & similar folks that have been touting CB radios as a "must have" item.
> 
> Wayne
> WB4OGM