[Heathkit] question from a non-Ham

[jim unger]

To Mike & Dave & all who said:

 Jim,
  Go to www.w4ava.org  there you'll find a on-line class for the FCC TECH
CLASS LICENSE...with instructor audio on .WAV files.  Five one hour classes
 and you're good to go for the test.  ALL FREE OF CHARGE!
dave
Or
 Jim, find a local club and get your ticket.  I have done it in a few
 different countries.  Ham radio needs you.
 Mike

Jim replies:
    I will at least look at the possibilities there.  I agree that Ham Radio 
needs people too, especially people way younger than me. I'm 57 now and no 
longer the sharpest arrow in the quiver. When I listen to the Ham 
frequencies, I cannot help but notice that most of the voices are obviously 
GEEZERS! I rarely hear a young person's voice. And that's an ominous sign 
for the hobby.
   But it's not an isolated sign in traditional hobbies. Example:  I have 
been interested in High Fidelity audio for as long as that of radio. 
Building kits of amplifiers, tuners, equalizers, both tube & solid state 
were (are) a long-time passion. But kit-companies like Heath and Dynaco have 
long since disappeared.
    And 20-somethings I am friendly with have NO conception of hi-fi 
reproduction. None! They think their iPod and/or MP-3s played on that Best 
Buy abomination are the best that can be achieved in musical reproduction! 
This is a depressing note for sure, because it indicates a growing 
acceptance of whatever we are force-fed by the conglomerates.
    Getting my Ham ticket may (slightly) help the community. But you need to 
actively interest AND RECRUIT young types if the hobby is to survive. I'm 
sure most of you already knew this.
   Thanks for suffering thru my thoughts.
--jim