[Elecraft] Reaching across the chronological divide

Sat Dec 14 21:46:47 EST 2019

We're missing the point here somehow. Siri's answer should have been 
"The best way to contact Helen is to pick up your phone and call her."

Anything else is pretty much a waste of time and resources just to talk 
to Helen. Seriously, there's a sizable investment in specialized 
equipment to make contact via AMSAT or whatever. The contact is set up 
for them. Then Jon and Helen wait to be told when the link is ready. If 
that's worth doing and will attract young people, then just shoot me. It 
sounds terminally boring.

Making that investment in specialized equipment can't be justified as 
utilitarian communication because it's expensive and inefficient. If the 
point is to contact your friends any time you want to, they are already 
doing that with a half a dozen reliable instant technologies all 
accessible from the same smartphone. I don't get where ham radio comes 
in to solve a problem they have already solved. Certainly not with a 
system that requires waiting 15 minutes for a satellite to get in 
position, and a Cupertino Robot to set up the call.

I don't have the answer to attracting young people to a rapidly changing 
hobby in an even more rapidly changing world. The aspects of the hobby 
that attracted many of us was the sheer magic of radio itself. We 
weren't attracted to it because it let us contact our friends. Even then 
we had the telephone for that. We were attracted to the magic. Nine 
times out of ten, the communication part was "599 OM PSE QSL".

I always heard how DX contacts would allow me to learn about other 
cultures. Actually, it did. After exchanging signal reports, I'd look up 
their city with an atlas or encyclopedia. But I learned zip on the air. 
A few California Kilowatts could hog a DX station, and chit chat for a 
few minutes, and did because they could. But the rest of us never got 
beyond the basic exchange and fought like hell for that. But it was 
magic so it didn't matter that it wasn't all that practical.

The magic that attracted us is gone. Maybe there's new magic to be 
found, but it's different magic that most of us with 30-70 years in the 
hobby won't understand...and probably won't like. We are the wrong 
people to even be considering answers but anyone expecting to make a 
living from the hobby will have to find that new magic. It ain't instant 
communication and it ain't the ham radio equivalent of retro turntables.

Eric KE6US

ex-K1DCK, WA6YCF, WB2PVW

On 12/14/2019 5:35 PM, andy.moorwood at moorcom.com wrote:
> Question: Can amateur radio reach across the digital divide ?
> My answer: It could
> Follow up Question: Do you think it will ?
> My answer:  No, not with current products and modes of use
>
> Why do I say this ?
> My 20 year old wants a turntable for Christmas.  Why on earth does he want
> one when he can download any song he wants from his apple music account ?
> Answer: People of his generation are moving beyond mere utility (listening
> to any song anywhere anytime), they now want a musical experience, playing a
> vinyl record - could be one of mine - with all the "atmosphere" (hiss and
> scratches) to experience the music as it was "made".
>
> Could this experiential notion morph to a communications form?
> Communications utility is being able to contact your friends at anytime from
> anywhere, instantly,  AKA the ubiquitous smartphone.  A communications
> experience could be one where the path / mode is dynamic and not guaranteed
> to succeed (applies to VHF linked repeater systems and HF).
>
> So why won't this happen ? We (amateur radio hobbyists and industry) don't
> follow the usage paradigms they are used to and frankly expect, built around
> their smartphones.
>
> The turn tables I'm looking at have RCA jacks to connect to an amplifier but
> they also have Bluetooth to connect to your phone and speakers, and of
> course "there's an App for that" on the smartphone.
>
> People of this generation are not going to configure virtual COM ports so
> their apps can access a radio.  Neither will they work through windows
> "wizard" configuration screens.  Apple and the other developers have made
> set up effortlessly work  and offer digital assistants to help you on your
> way.  For example, below is a conversation from a possible radio future.
>
> Jon, Ham Radio Operator: "Hey Siri what repeaters are near me and can I link
> to Helen in Scotland ?"
> Siri: " Yes Jon there are several repeaters nearby but the best way to
> contact Helen is via Amsat, one will be over horizon in 15 minutes, shall I
> let Helen know you want to contact her ? conditions are favorable"
> Jon: " Yes Siri, let her know, I'll get the antenna ready"
>
> Sounds like science fiction ?- no this is technically feasible today -
> question is will some entity make the investments to make it happen   ?
>
> Best Regards
> Andy
> K3CAQ
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net <elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On
> Behalf Of Wayne Burdick
> Sent: Friday, December 13, 2019 6:24 PM
> To: Elecraft Reflector <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: [Elecraft] Reaching across the chronological divide
>
> Hams of a certain age, including yours truly (first licensed in 1971) recall
> their excitement on joining the hobby: there was the promise of contact with
> faraway places, collection of vivid QSL cards, mastery of esoteric
> equipment, synchrony with the rhythms of Morse code, and the crafting of
> antennas to harness action at a distance.
>
> Most of us still feel that spark, occasionally--some on a daily
> basis--experiencing the wonder all over again.
>
> While the accoutrements and equipage of youth have evolved over the decades,
> their DNA has not. Somewhere, nestled between the genetic codes for
> half-pipe snowboarding, Instagram, Juul, and ambient house, there's a
> dormant sequence for the Radio Art waiting to be stirred.
>
> Is there a Battle Royale for ham radio? A tactical RPG?
>
> What is our sorcerer's stone? Our rap?
>
> Will Gen-Z or Gen-Alpha tickle the ionosphere, and if so...why?
>
> To hand our batons across the chronological divide, we'll need empathetic,
> open-ended inquiry.
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
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