Tom,

TW>Even after I dod get my No Code Tech at club meetings I had to endure
TW>the "Old Timers" carping that NO Code Tech were not REAL Hams.

  Sadly, there are still too many "old timers" who refuse to change, and
embrace the new technologies. The "purists" swear up and down that
"internet radio is not ham radio". From a technicality standpoint,
they're right.

  However, with many hams (through no fault of their own, and out of
their control) are getting into situations where ham radio gear, RF
operation, antennas, etc. are strictly prohibited...due to covenants,
creeds and restrictions (CC&R's)...medical facilities where RF devices
would interfere with medical equipment...young kids still living at
home, where their parents won't let them put up antennas, towers, etc.

  With things like "Packet Via Telnet", "Echolink" (via
the single user
setup, or the app), "D-Star" (via DV Tools, and the D-Rats program),
they can still maintain a presence in the hobby. In fact, that's the
situation I find myself in.

  Yet, I run 2 Echolink and 2 D-Star Nets per week, check into a Packet
Net to a BBS that has both RF and telnet access, then check into other
Echolink and D-Star Nets during the week. I'm literally running or
checking into a net on a nightly basis.

  Several years ago, I was to run a net on Echolink in the San Antonio,
Texas area (even though I'm in Little Rock). Well, it turned out that
severe weather erupted in the area, and being a certified Skywarn
Spotter in central Arkansas, I started a Skywarn Weather Net on the
Echolink node...reading warnings and statements over the air directly
from the National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio website...while
another ham took spotter reports...and I was having a ball!! Weather was
quiet in my area, so I had no problem relaying the bulletins, even if it
was via Echolink.

  Plus, I was recently able to take my laptop computer, with my air
card, a power supply, an external monitor, mouse, and keyboard, to a ham
radio club at a central Arkansas high school, and demonstrate those
modes...and also did such at a local hamfest last year.

  I'm reminded of one ham radio operator, whose grandson was visiting
his grandfather's shack...and asked "what's so great about ham radio??".
Well, not one bit of grandpa's talk interested his grandson...that is,
until he sent a text message via D-Rats and Ham Radio to his grandson's
cellphone. His eyes got as big as dollars (WOW!!)...and his granddad
said "you can reply to it". That got him interested now!! :)

  Seriously, we have to do something to interest the young people in the
hobby, and with the computers becoming more and more a part of the ham
shack, this is a way to do it. If we don't get new blood into the hobby
(and that's the same for any hobby), to replace those who are getting
out of it, or dying off...attrition will kill it...pun intended.

  Besides, if the FCC were to revoke the licenses of all hams who did
not operate RF exclusively, the death of ham radio would come
surprisingly quick.

Daryl, WX1DER

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 þ OLX 1.53 þ Upgrade: Remove old bugs, insert new ones.
                                                                               
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