My IC-705 was traded in some months ago for the Yaesu FT-710. Both are excellent radios and I have enjoyed them both. The FT-710 has 4m but no 2m or 70cm. The FT-710 also has an auto ATU which I find quite useful. The FT-710 is a 100W radio whereas the IC-705 is a 10W radio (5W with the attached battery). As a QRPer, 10W was more than enough for me.
I was hoping that Yaesu would announce a new QRP SDR transceiver at Dayton as a proper replacement to the FT817. Sadly, no such product was announced. Had one been announced, I might have traded it for the FT-710.
In my view amateur radio is at a crossroads. In many countries, amateur radio appeals mainly to older males. As these age, fewer new rigs will be sold and magazines will lose advertising revenue from dealers. Some will get smaller, less frequent, or close. In my view, several larger manufacturers will leave the amateur radio market as they will be unable to make profits. My prediction in the UK is that amateur radio will cease to be a service supported by OFCOM. I can see (not many years ahead) when CB, ISM and amateur radio will all become a "free for all" as these generate no income and are unnecessary hassle. The watchwords will be "no interference".
Hello Roger, I wish I could get a preview of HAMradio/CBradio into the future. Say 20 years ahead. I share your opinion that there will be only one rule - no interference -. I don't think there will be that many users anymore since most of the old guard will be SK. Even the CB users are mostly getting old. Youth is interested but there are so many other distractions these days. Keeping it with just one hobby is not of this time (and the future) anymore. In 20 years there will be hardly any national amateurradio organisations anymore. QSL bureau? Will be long gone because it is too expensive for only a few users. I think a lot will change for amateurradio in the next 20 years. 73, Bas
ReplyDeleteIt's not just the UK. Here in the U.S, national license numbers have dropped by more 7k just so far this year, and the year before that had a 10k drop. This comes after steady growth for a decade.
ReplyDeleteFor all intents and purposes, amateur radio has been defined as HF operation only. And it's the Old Guard hams that have done this to the hobby, in a misguided attempt to "advance". Anything else (packet, satcom, digital FM, mesh networks, weak-signal VHF) is dismissed as "fooling around" and a distraction from HF operation. If you look at ARRL publications, you would think there is no amateur service at all above 10M. I know the old-timers find this impossible to believe, but younger people aren't as excited about HF as they are.
I belong to a club that is almost entirely hams under 30. Our club HF rig sits unused. Instead, the interest is in digital FM (DMR, YSF, P25, etc.) and packet. I just did a demo on satcom last weekend, and it had a lot of interest.
Over the years, I've found that these observations are "helpfully translated" by senior hams into numerous (very stupid) things that were not said at all. This weird group-think (which senior hams are oblivious to) also turns off new hams, who see it quite glaringly.
This isn't about evil Bad Guys who are abusive. It's Good Guys who have good intentions, but see newer hams as dim-witted children that don't know what they really want. And the answer is always "HF".