[Boatanchors] Upgrade question

[Morris Dillingham]

If it were really named properly, this type of hobby would be called
computer communications and not radio.  There's a place for it but it
should be named properly and not confused with real radio operation. 
Having worked from the early computer industry until retirement, I
believe that the digital modes are nothing at all new with some minor
variations in code structures.  The trouble is, the powers that be
feel that we must hitch our wagon to the computer technology to
survive.  Cell phones do work much easier than that type of
communications. Getting a free ISP (say commercial use) at the expense
of radio is what is happening with some of the digital modes.
-----Original message-----
From: J Forster jfor at quik.com
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2008 02:59:29 -0400
To: Jim Wiley jwiley at alaska.net
Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Upgrade question

> Loading some canned SW, working through a menu,  and plugging in few
cables simply does not rise to thechallenge of building even the
simplest receiver or transmitter. This is hardly a move forward, IMO.
> 
> The hobby has changed from actually building things to operating. If
I want to chat with someone, I pick up the phone or send an email.
That's operating too and essentially indistinguishable from modern
hamming.
> 
> FWIW,
> -John
> 
> =================
> 
> Jim Wiley wrote:
> 
> > Kudos to Ernie and Bill -
> >
> > Ernie, K0OCC and Bill, WD5DZG are a couple of guys that "get it". 
It's
> > a pity that too many others would rather rather rant and moan
about
> > "what used to be"  instead of embracing the new generation of hams
and
> > offering to share with them what we know, and in turn learning
from the
> > newcomers (Gasp! - he really said that?).   Our hobby moves
forward
> > guys,  notbackward.  [snip]
> 
> _______________________________________________