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Originally Posted by wildgoose007
...why is it so important to use codes instead of plain English?
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It's not. In professional communications, there is a trend away from codes. In the interest of interoperability, it's been found that different agencies use of various codes is inconsistent, hindering communications, not helping.
In ham radio, the Q signals are a holdover from CW.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wildgoose007
My guess is to keep the conversation short and concise, so to not hog the channel and maximize the number of people that can share a channel.
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Depends. Things like Q signals developed as a way, not to share the channel, but to speed transmission of standard message segments.
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Originally Posted by wildgoose007
But it was also interesting that I didn't find anyone in my age group. That was a bit of a downer.
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What's your age group?
You do realize that if you get licensed, and join a club, the next guy in your age group won't be able to say that? Yes, the ham population is aging. Yes, it's perceived as a problem. Become part of the solution instead of lamenting that the problem exists.
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Originally Posted by wildgoose007
As much as I enjoy learning about this, I feel slightly out of place. Is there a lack of participation from younger generations in HAM radio?
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I don't know how true that really is. People sure seem to think there's a problem. But almost 40 years ago when I was first licensed, there weren't many people my age. It didn't stop me from having fun with it. I'm I'm a long way from being the youngest ham in the circles I run around in, so maybe it's not as bad as we seem to think. It just is what it is... ham radio is mostly an older person's hobby, always has been, always will be, and occasionally younger people get involved.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wildgoose007
I understand this hobby dates way back, before the internet, and I can see how it can be really useful to talk to people around the world. But today there are just far better communication methods to stay in touch across the globe, so perhaps that’s why not a lot of young people are into this anymore?
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Maybe. So, back before the internet, ham radio was THE way to talk around the world. Now, it's just another way. So, we change the reasons for doing it. Instead of it being the only method, it can become the most fun method. Do it because it's fun, not because you have to.
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Originally Posted by wildgoose007
Thinking about this further, are the protocols and procedures in place for HAM radio still makes sense? Can anything be done to bring it to a wider/younger audience?
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Yes. Bring it to maker fairs and show how you can build stuff.
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Originally Posted by wildgoose007
For example, I understand there’s really no privacy in communication. The sub-channel I am familiar with on FRS are just a squelch control tone. Only one conversation can happen on a particular channel (hence all these protocols to make sure channels are not abused..) But how about some technical solutions to remove these limitations?
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It's been done. That's not the problem. What good do new digital modes that offer interesting features when non-hams aren't paying attention to it in the first place?
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Originally Posted by wildgoose007
The problem is very similar to Ethernet communication. Shared communication medium (cable), everyone hears everyone else’s conversation...
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But the ad hoc communications capability of ham radio where everyone can hear everyone else is one of ham radio's unique strengths that's no longer available in many other more modern communications technologies.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wildgoose007
So is something like this possible on HAM radio? To allow multiple conversation to happen on one channel?
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To some degree, yes. But it's not really solving any particular problems that ham radio has. All those channel multiplexing schemes you see with the cellular networks, for example, are there to solve a particular problem - a shortage of spectrum coupled with high demand. Ham radio simply doesn't have that problem. You want to have a conversation where you're not sharing the frequency? Turn the dial, switch bands, switch modes. There WILL be a frequency you can operate on that's not previously occupied.
So, multiplexing conversations on one channel would amount to little more than a neat parlour trick for ham radio. One that's been done. And it's not the edge that's needed to bring more youngsters into the hobby.
What's needed is for us hams to convey to younger people that it's still actually fun. Especially now. There are some fascinating aspects of ham radio that get the attention of about 0.1% of hams.
Times have changed
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