Re[ly to paragraph A below
This I agree 100%
I had a down time from ohhh 1993 till about 2005,
And when I fired up the Old Drake that was sitting in the damp basement,
I thought it had died because while it would transmit I heard almost no
signals. And I remember from when i got my ticket in 1975, a sunspot
minimum even then the bands were every day full end to end. on SSB you
very rarely would have a qso where there wasn't a grumbler down below or
a squaky above you all the time. and it was like this till 1993 when i
lost everything and was off the air.
Thinking the Drake was dead I saved and finally got a new to me used
Kenwood TS-430S it is now 2010, and i hook it up and think I bought a
piece of junk from the guy this is hearing no better than the Drake is.
The next weekend is I think is was SS Phone and wow the bands sound like
they did every day. jam packed and full. this is what I remember every
day being like.
But as soon as the contest was over the bands returned to emptyness.
Now that is a question,,, what has killed activity?
Joe WB9SBD
Sig
The Original Rolling Ball Clock
Idle Tyme
Idle-Tyme.com
http://www.idle-tyme.com
On 5/30/2013 12:44 PM, David Gilbert wrote:
A couple of comments:
a. I don't believe for a minute that the number of licenses
translates to the amount of activity on the bands. Most bands are
practically dead much of the day even now that the sunspot cycle has
been high. At the very least that all time high for licenses doesn't
equate to an all time high for activity. The only exceptions are
during contests.
b. The last time that I bothered to check into the numbers, the
number of new licenses was almost (as in the high 90 percentages)
offset by the number of abandoned licenses, meaning that ham radio has
very little traction with newcomers.
c. Compare pictures of ham radio conventions and club meetings taken
today versus those taken 30 years ago. For the most part, everyone in
view just looks 30 years older. Extrapolation isn't always
justifiable, but in this case I think it is pretty much an irrefutable
trend.
d. There is only one way to look at stars of your own choosing in
real time. There are MANY ways (most of them of better quality than
ham radio) to communicate with others in real time.
73,
Dave AB7E
On 5/30/2013 7:28 AM, Joe wrote:
Similar Situation.
Go figure the guy (ME) that has limited income, what does he do? He
has TWO hobbies that can be and now days mostly are expensive to do.
Radio, & Astronomy.
These two hobbies are very similar in nature. for the most part they
are indeed hobbies one does alone.
And entry level Radios, and Telescopes are priced similar a few
hundred bucks.
Then the top of the line stuff can be very expensive. Telescopes can
make Radio equipment look like garage sale prices. Like $20,000.00
bucks! And just like radio that is just the scope. you still can
spend thousands on prerferial support equipment. Like top of the line
Eyepieces. Without them the scope can not be used. You look through
the eyepiece. Top of the line ones can easily cost several hundred
dollars just for one. And you need many to fully utilize the
capabilities of the scope.
Analogy Radio = Antenns,, Telescope = Eyepieces.
And everything is similar ya got radios and telescopes, ya got
Towers and antennas, and outside shelters for the telescopes.
computers for both. as well as tons of other perferial support
equipments.
I fount the two hobbies are complimentary, daytime play radio, cloudy
nights play radio, clear nights use telescope.
There are clubs for each.
There are organizations that support and promote both like the ARRL
for Amateur Radio, and the Astronomical League for Astronomy.
Thing is even tho the estimated population of Amateur Astronomers is
hard to determine, (no license required and able to track) the latest
estimate from the Astronomical league say that the population in the
USA is between 300,000 and 400,000 people are interested in
Astronomy, as a hobby more than just the casual interest, in other
words just like the level of interest of someone interested in radio
and was interested enough to get their license.
Even more similarities are
Amateur Radio has "HOA's" and CC&R's that restrict their ability to
do the hobby,
Astronomy has Light pollution.
But there is one BIG difference that i see between the two.
Amateur Radio has more licensed in the hobby than it has ever had in
history, yet all ya hear is how it is a dead hobby, and need to get
more people involved. or it will surely die soon. 700,000+ licenced
in USA alone
Astronomy maybe only has 300,000 to 400,000 in the hobby in the USA,
yet the hobby is thriving and you never ever hear about it dieing.
The only thing you hear is to be really serious about it you have to
now either live where there are no lights, or spend hours driving to
one hoping for good weather.
Imagine having to every time you wanted to use your radios having to
do it AKA Field Day style! Where you can't do it where you live and
you have to drive 500 miles to set up and play radio, thats what
probably 90% of amateur astronomers now have to do.
Yet I have yet to hear one compliant about the hobby dieing and
needing to get more people interested.
Interesting huh?
Joe WB9SBD
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