This is perhaps because I am older now, but my perspective on amateur radio has changed. This weekend in the UK is VHF NFD. I went on 70cm SSB briefly yesterday afternoon to work a local and have not been on since. At one time I would have been really keen.
Operating SSB and FM no longer give me great pleasure and chasing DX on all bands has lost its thrall. Much operation has moved to FT8 and fewer people use amateur radio for chatting.
Many are plagued with high local noise levels. Up to now, this has not been a real problem here. although I am aware of noise levels as high as 70cm getting worse.
Overall, I am more interested in seeing where my QRP signal reaches and far less interested in 2-way contacts.
For a hobby that was based around communications, Sorry FT8 is slowly killing it.... Yes there's loads of people using FT8/FT4 but you can tune across the bands and minimal activity on SSB, CW or FM. No interesting conversations, no technical talks etc. With the broadcast stations disappearing the SWLer's had the hams to listen too but if the ham's aren't communicating then thats another hobby gone.
ReplyDeleteHeard a guy calling CQ on 2m for ages last week. I went back to him and he was saying he's been calling on 2M for the last month and this was his second QSO. He's tried SOTA from local areas with minimal success and on the brink of taking his small a station down to the local council dump.
Wonder how many other ham have or are in the same mind set!
Amount of times I've build something and then tried and test it on air but lack of "normal activity" item get thrown in a box and forgotten about.
Started to bin components, parts and untested items I've built now. I've even thought about completely downsizing my shack to one mulitband rig. A hobby that was enjoyed for over 20 years is starting to turn into something quiet pathetic.
Just black box opeartors and from your prevous posts you might be right! Don't think the hobby has many years left in it.
If amateur radio evolves to digital one-way transmissions as a matter of course, than I think the international authorities will outlaw it. One-way voice transmissions are, I believe, already illegal and have been for years.
ReplyDeleteI believe WSPR beacons have been in existence for very many years and are by their nature 1-way propagation testing beacons. Not sure of the situation with voice. It would be easy to get around as stations would say their transmissions (such as automated CQs) were looking for QSOs.
ReplyDeleteHaving said all this I agree that for very many amateurs the hobby is about 2-way voice contacts. I am just reflecting on my own journey through the hobby. You have to admit that very few radio amateurs now experiment as they did 100 years ago,