16 Mar 2016

Our hobby in 30 years?

Although I cannot speak for other countries, here in the UK ours is a hobby mainly of older people and mainly men.  When I was fitter, I gave several talks to local radio clubs in East Anglia and without exception it was mainly OAPs who came along. OK there were a few youngsters and women, but the vast majority were older men.

Amateurs and SWLs are a dying breed, unless we can attract young people into the hobby. I am 67 and will be dead within 30 years, probably a lot sooner. An aging population will not buy so many rigs, will not support magazines etc. Numbers will fall, activity will fall, interest will drain away.

In 20-30 years we will be very much in uncharted territory. What will our hobby be like in years to come?
at 09:23
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5 comments:

Dick said...

What if 30 years from now, there was no more amateur radio? So what? If I were a twenty-something year old amateur (I am very far removed), crazy for cw, as I am, I would be concerned. But there aren't many in that age bracket that fall into that category. I am not concerned about future generations access to amateur radio, as I know it, 30 years hence. Kids don't care so why should I? Let them play video games and download rap noise, or worse. One more license renewal for 10 years and I am done.

Wed Mar 16, 10:38:00 am GMT
PE4BAS, Bas said...

I don't look at it so negatively. Youngsters are crazy about video games, online gaming, chatting via internet etc. Something that can be combined with amateurradio but not as we know it. Building a radio and antenna yourself and get on the air might be not interesting for young people. But contesting is as it has similarities with online gaming. To get more young people into the hobby I guess we should focus on contesting and the gaming element within our hobby. Unfortenately most of the aged radioamateurs are into the hobby for other reasons which are not interesting for todays new radioamateurs (of course there are exceptions). I'm young enough to experience our hobby in 30 years. Let's hope there is still a radio hobby then. 73, Bas

Wed Mar 16, 11:34:00 am GMT
Roger G3XBM said...

In 30 years time (or less), our hobby is in danger of dying out as most interested become old and frail. This is certainly a risk in the UK. I agree with Bas that young people like different things. At the very least, our hobby will change.

Wed Mar 16, 02:20:00 pm GMT
baitisj said...

Thanks to software defined radio, I just discovered ham. There are others, and there will be more...

Sun Apr 03, 11:01:00 pm GMT+1
baitisj said...

Thanks to software defined radio, I just discovered amateur radio -- fascinating. There will be others.

Sun Apr 03, 11:02:00 pm GMT+1

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