In the past, many got into amateur radio because it allowed social contact with like minded people anywhere in the world. To some, this is still the most important aspect of our hobby. However, to others it is not important to have two-way contacts. What matters is the propagation and FT8 or WSPR are perfectly fine.
What is clearly the case is fewer enter the hobby these days for the social aspect as there are many free and better ways to talk across the planet with people of like minds using the internet.
I have no idea of the future, but the magic that got most of us interested is different today.
Our hobby is changing.
The problem I see with the hobby in the last few years with most Hams migrating to digital modes there isn't much left for the younger people to listen too and get interested.
ReplyDeleteMost people started out as shortwave/VHF listeners. You had so much to find a few years ago from AM, SW broadcast stations, number stations etc. On VHF/UHF you could listen to Taxi's, PMR, secuirty, Police, mobile phones (yes Illegal) but there was something for everyone. Any first person experience in radio is to hear voices or Morse code and discover where its coming from was a WOW moment!
If a young person at first doesn't want to bogged down with understanding propagation and with AM/SW broadcasters closing down whats left? FT8 and off the bat how do newbies know how to decode these digital modes!
Now days all you hear is digital noise someone with no knowledge will spot it and then tune passed it.
Hams are the ones creating this decline in my opinion.