It is very clear that the average age of radio amateurs is going up as existing amateurs in the hobby get older. It is also vital that we encourage younger people into the hobby and keep them.
Todd already commented in an earlier post that working DX, which was so exciting for many of us, is less important for many younger people today: the magic to many of us of talking around the world is no longer such a turn-on for many younger people used to talking across the world on video free by Skype and similar.
What the Southgate News piece points out is there are lots of lonely older people who could find companionship through amateur radio. These people should also be encouraged too.
See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2019/december/encouraging-seniors-to-join-ham-radio.htm#.XgSG6-iTLnE
Completely agree with this premise. In the current technological climate, the potential promise of amateur radio is in *connecting people* -- often at a local or regional level. These new technologies that have connected us have also *isolated* us, in different ways.
ReplyDeleteThe future is not in being keepers of arcane knowledge and in 'making contacts' -- though these ends will be enhanced by bringing new people in for other reasons.
-KD0TLS