>
>> We're missing one other important component here.  Most of  today's young
>> people have been brought up in the "instant gratification"  world.  You 
>> have
>> to study to get a radio license and it takes time to get  it.
>>
This is not generally true and is often used as an excuse. Young people do many 
things that take just as much or more work as passing a radio exam. Such as 
playing musical instruments or sports. 99.9% of households simply have no 
exposure at all to ham radio contesting.
>> Not so with gaming.  You buy the game and play.  Yes, it  takes time to 
>> get
>> good at whatever game it is, but there is no initial work and  you to get
>> to play the game immediately.  Ham radio is quite different in  that 
>> respect.
>>
Gaming is popular simply because 99% of households have the required equipment
(a computer) to try it out. 
I think with most hams forget that they got their license because someone they 
personally knew (friend, relative, ...) was a ham and got them interested in the
hobby. In my case my father got his license about a year before I did, so there 
was a radio and other stuff around the house that I could play around with  
even before having a license. So if you want to get someone interested, loan or 
give them  some equipment- these days maybe a Softrock SDR receiver would be 
a good choice?
Someone mentioned R/C as no longer being popular- you are forgetting about
R/C drones which are hugely popular at the moment. One of my neighbors recently 
got
a ham license just for use with drones. 
I noticed I am one of 3 in the CW SS top 50 B scores with check after 1980- 
scary!
Tor
N4OGW
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