[ETSList] Dwindling activity

[Phil Galasso]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Rob Carlson"
> > Rich KB2LLM is concerned with the dwindling membership  activity,
including
> > the low use of the repeaters as compared with a few years  ago.
> > Discussion was held on possible ideas as to how and why,  which
digressed
> > into a history of the club and its work on 2  meters.

Several things are probably at work here:

1. Clique groups tend to form on many repeaters. These are tight groups that
will not acknowledge newcomers or visitors. Hence, calls from "outsiders" go
unanswered. Of course, "closed" repeaters are the ultimate clique groups!

2. The creation of the no-code Technician license, its establishment as the
sole entry-level amateur radio license, and its absence of HF privileges,
have created a "no-code Tech" ghetto on 2 meters. These new licensees are
not exposed to the mainstream of amateur radio. A lot of the old-timers
resent the abolition of any form of the code test requirement and many of
them probably won't reply to anyone signing a KB2 or KC2 call. This adds to
the isolation of newcomers. Eventually, they become disgusted, lose
interest, and drop out of amateur radio. Because most NCTs are not exposed
to mainstream amateur radio operation, those who came over from CB tend to
bring CB operating practices with them to the repeaters. I personally have
heard new operators refer to their "20" or use other CB lingo on various
repeaters. This does nothing to endear them to the stodgy element within
amateur radio...yet they don't know that such lingo is taboo in amateur
radio.

3. Ubiquitous low-cost cellular telephone service has eliminated a lot of
the use (and need for) autopatch. In an emergency, autopatch might work if
the cellular network goes down due to traffic overload...or the autopatch
might not work, as the phone lines may be down.

4. Amateur radio has lost its appeal to a lot of the young crowd. As
disenchanted NCTs drop out, they are not being replaced.

I neither live nor work within the coverage area of the Green Brook
repeater, but I have fond memories of it from when I lived in Iselin and
from when I worked for Modulation Sciences in Somerset. I currently spend
most of my time near Wilkes-Barre, PA and I notice the same things happening
on the repeaters here. Even during peak hours (8 to 9 AM and 5 to 6 PM), I
hear little activity. One repeater comes to life mostly on Thursday nights,
when the sponsoring club has a local net.

Just my 2 cents,
Phil Galasso
K2PG