Amateur Radio is Dying

[Marine_Cotporal]

Or dead.

I’m not licensed. I’m just a listener. Based on what I hear, I will probably just remain a listener. Hear me out.

When I monitor, this is all I hear. Wk3J2 listening. That’s it. After maybe an hour or so, the call sign will be repeated. Then some other guy will get on, give his call sign and now the watching of paint dry begins.

“How is the weather where you are it? It’s cold here. What radio are you using? That’s a good radio. I used to have some other unrelated radio years ago. Silence. So what are you doing today? Not much. Just relaxing. Walking the dogs. Taking it easy. Well Jim, I have to run. The wife just set up dinner. Good talking to you.”

It’s dying because not many people want to go through all the trouble to get licensed to have no one to talk to. I’m in that situation. I don’t want to get licensed just to have small talk with a stranger. Every conversation goes exactly like the one I described above.

Here’s an idea that can fix ham radio. If the rules were different and it only involved one licensed individual talking in a conversation, then there would be more users. Someone like myself can get licensed and register another person as a Registered User” like a wife or friend or neighbor that doesn’t want to go through the hassle of getting licensed. We could use local repeaters on camping trips or road trips when traveling in separate cars. It would create more interest.

All registered users that aren’t licensed would get their own call signs. Eventually if they want to talk to others, they can get licensed and have the ability to register other users.

That’s the main thing. Ham radio is dead because there is no one useful to talk to. If they loosened up the restrictions on who you can talk to, many more people would become enticed into the hobby.

Because I have no one worth talking to, I’m stuck with simplex MURS or FRS. Most of the time it doesn’t get used at all because of the simplex limitations. Sure I can get licensed on GMRS but there aren’t very many if any repeaters in the area and when you do find one, it’s private. So what does that leave me? The damned cell phone if I want to talk to someone that I want to talk with.

 

[mmckenna]

Or dead.

I’m not licensed. I’m just a listener. Based on what I hear, I will probably just remain a listener. Hear me out.
…..
Every conversation goes exactly like the one I described above.

Yep, often what I hear too, but that's OK with me. After a while, it seems like they run out of things to talk about. There's some interesting conversations, but not all the time.
If you are looking for amateur radio to be a constant source of entertainment, you might have to work a bit harder at it. Local repeater traffic can get very tedious after a while. HF might be a bit more interesting for you.

But yeah, sometimes it really is like listening to paint dry.

Here’s an idea that can fix ham radio. If the rules were different and it only involved one licensed individual talking in a conversation, then there would be more users. Someone like myself can get licensed and register another person as a Registered User” like a wife or friend or neighbor that doesn’t want to go through the hassle of getting licensed. We could use local repeaters on camping trips or road trips when traveling in separate cars. It would create more interest.

Won't happen.
But what you describe is -exactly- what GMRS is for. While it may not be active in your area, that might be something to work on fixing. Putting up an open repeater and helping get others interested might be the shot in the arm it needs for your area. One license covers you and your family. Put a base radio in, put a radio in your car, use it to talk with your wife. A couple of hand-helds with you when you go camping would work well. I used it for years before I could get others to get their ham licenses.

That’s the main thing. Ham radio is dead because there is no one useful to talk to. If they loosened up the restrictions on who you can talk to, many more people would become enticed into the hobby.

Now, there's LOTS of people to talk to if you want to discuss how well paint dries.
But seriously, finding like minded groups is the challenge. Loosening up restrictions isn't going to happen, that's not what amateur radio is for. There's more to it than just the FCC, there are international governing bodies that are involved.
If all you are listening to is the local 2 meter/70 centimeter repeaters, you are probably missing out on quite a bit. I'd say get yourself a short wave radio capable of listening in on the HF bands and you might change your mind.

Because I have no one worth talking to, I’m stuck with simplex MURS or FRS. Most of the time it doesn’t get used at all because of the simplex limitations. Sure I can get licensed on GMRS but there aren’t very many if any repeaters in the area and when you do find one, it’s private. So what does that leave me? The damned cell phone if I want to talk to someone that I want to talk with.

Time to put up your own OPEN repeater.

But don't expect GMRS to be a useful option for making random contacts. Many are using it for communications between family members and they are not always interested in making random contacts. If you do find those that want that, you will eventually find that it starts to sound like the paint drying conversations that happen on amateur radio….

Or, get into CB. A good antenna makes a difference. While the conversation isn't always educational and mentally stimulating, there are a lot more people willing to make random contacts.

Basically all these radio service are what you make of them. Get some like minded people together, get your licenses and make it what you want it to be.

 

[nd5y]

I got licensed in 1981. They said ham radio was dying back then. It's still alive.

 

[hill]

Not dead in the Baltimore Washington DC area, as there are plenty good QSOs mainly during morning and afternoon/evening drive times. People get on the repeaters at 5 am or earlier. Even have a net of morning commuters running 7 am to 9 am.

It's what you make it. Get on the radio and have some great conversations on interesting topics like technical projects, other hobbies, or places you have visited. Also it's a great way to get new hams up to speed on what they need. We have plenty new hams with testing happening monthly.

 

[k6cpo]

If ham radio is dying, or already dead, why has there been a net increase of 69,203 valid licenses since August of 2010?

So what does that leave me? The damned cell phone if I want to talk to someone that I want to talk with.

And that's a problem how? There are lots of time I use my phone to talk to my ham buddies because I don't want what's being said to go out on what amounts to a party line.

 

[KE0GXN]

Become part of the solution, get your license and create your own interesting Qs. I have had many good ones in just the four short years I have been licensed, whether it was on a repeater to some locals or over several thousand miles away on HF to Germany, Italy, Japan and many more.

Stop listening from the sidelines and join in the conversations.

 

[SigIntel8600]

Here’s an idea that can fix ham radio. If the rules were different and it only involved one licensed individual talking in a conversation, then there would be more users. Someone like myself can get licensed and register another person as a Registered User” like a wife or friend or neighbor that doesn’t want to go through the hassle of getting licensed. We could use local repeaters on camping trips or road trips when traveling in separate cars. It would create more interest.

7 year old children are passing the multiple choice Technician test. If someone is too lazy to take the time to study the questions for 15 minutes and pass the test, I don't want them on the amateur bands.

 

[jhooten]

The Spark forever crowd decreed amateur radio dead a century ago.

 

[mrkelso]

It's not all about Phone. There is CW and RTTY and they are alive and well. The Sats. Digi modes all are doing great.

 

[katt02]

Amateur radio is what you make of it, not how many people have licenses in total. I got into it because a colleague told me about the service since he knew I had an interest in technology and radios before getting my license. I then learned what digital modes are; P25 became my favorite but it was not used much. To fix that my colleague and I found a local digital repeater that we could use. I then showed some friends how to listen and now some of them have become interested in how to get on the air. Alongside that, others on air have heard us talking about virtually anything (and I mean everything from industrial electronics to where is space exploration going) and they have joined in, which has allowed me to meet new hams as well as find new people who will answer me on air when I send out a call. Now I am trying to see how I can set up my own repeaters and how things like that work. I earned my licence around 10 months ago, and I already found a handful of helpful hams who like to talk back when they hear a call over the air!

One thing my colleague keeps telling me is: do not be discouraged by lack of use. Someone will be there eventually. Do not be afraid to reach out when you hear a call.


It starts with you talking to one other person. Then someone joins in. Then another joins. Soon enough you may have a round table every week.
Be the change you want to see in the community.

well, that's my story, hopefully it gives you a little hope or motivation to get into this hobby!

 

[TailGator911]

Not dead as long as I'm alive lol...if the conversation is boring, start your own on a vigorous note. Start a conversation about current events, what's in the news, etc. Try to AVOID politics at all costs. Try different topics, something you know about. I am a life-long blues musician so it is quite easy for me to stimulate a conversation just by talking music. Who's playing in town? What's the last CD you bought? I get some pretty lively roundtables going sometimes. I have been known to invite hams to a coffeehouse performance and, surprisingly, they show up! Ham radio is what you make it. You have to be a bit creative and initiate intelligent conversation, otherwise it can be bo-ring. If bored to tears, try this - bring up on the internet 'on this day in history', and that will always get the ball rolling!

73s!

JD
kf4anc

 

[KK6ZTE]

I know in my case, I scan all the local channels and I hear the the regular "KK6ABC listening" and ignore them as do all the other 40-50 people listening. Just because we choose to ignore the old geezer who identifies every 10 minutes on every repeater known to man doesn't meanw we will ignore someone new. Perhaps we know that this guy likes to get political and tie up a 5 channel simulcast system for talking about nonsense.

We will respond if someone needs help or if there's someone out of the ordinary.

 

[robertmac]

With Zum spots, hotspots, Wires X, spyspots, etc., taking away from local repeaters, it may seem like there is no action. As other posts, timing is everything when listening. Some people say not to use repeaters, but to use simplex. Well, unless one has good location, antenna, coax, they may not be heard. One thing about Repeaters is there range of good reception can be 100 miles, simplex 50 miles but of course line of site. Another ham class here just finished with over 20 new hams and another class starting in new year. And of course, as others have said, digital on HF bands is alive and well, 2 m VHF SSB is active here. Others are starting up a mesh network. But then everything dies sometime

 

[danesgs]

HAM radio is not dead, its evolving into something that leaves those conversations behind. Yes a lot of conversations sound just like what you hear, but tune around. I have heard some really interesting info about everything from airplane scary stories (Boeing net) to how to mod/fix radios bought to make them better, to UFO info (ARUFON net). Understand that the 7 year old with the tech license may be smitten enough to get his/her general or advanced. Also people that are not retired generally get on after hours or weekends. Tune around. Maritime mobile on 14.300 can be exciting if some unfortunate boater is calling for help and a HAM stateside is coordinating with the USCG.

The only thing dying here are the folks that lose interest in HAM radio. Buy or homebrew a CW decoder if you don't know code. Or listen to RTTY or read Olivia conversations. listen to 2 meter Echolink repeaters that have folks from Australia or Japan chime in. There is ALWAYS a intersting conversation somewhere. You just have to look for it.

 

[Token]

Or dead.

<<<snip stuff describing how another radio service already runs, a service with far less activity than ham radio>>>

I have been hearing this since the late 1960's. Along with things like "young people are not involved in the hobby, we need to get them involved or the hobby will be dead in a few years".

And yet here we are. Today we have more licensees, both as raw numbers and as a percentage of the population, than at any time in the past including the ham radio "golden age".

Yes, for sure, certain types of communications are on the decline, while other types are on the increase. Some bands that had almost no traffic 40 years ago now have regular traffic and some bands that were packed then are empty now. In other words, things change.

I you just judge ham radio by rag chews on 2 meters then yes, things look bleak. However, back in the early 1970's it was not much better. Voice VHF and UHF kind of peaked from 1975 to 2005 or so. Today kind of looks like VHF did in the late 1960's to me. Less day-to-day voice and more experimentation and weak signal stuff. Digital did not exist back then, but certainly does today.

T!

 

[MTS2000des]

Ham radio is what one chooses to make of it.

I spent big money to enhance our organizations' repeater system to add a Quantar and now have the only 2 meter P25 mixed mode in the area. The machine does get quite a bit of use, and yes, often times it's a small group of us having rather "non-traditional" conversations, that being said, we're always welcoming of new folks.

Keep in mind too that just because one doesn't receive an instant response doesn't necessarily mean one is being ignored. In today's modern life, balancing ham radio with cellphones constantly going off with work related contacts, families, etc. one may not be able to instantly gratify another's desire to strike up a QSO at any time of the day or night. In our repeater's case, most of the use is after business hours when folks have time to chat. It does come down to that.

As far as licensing comments, as others' have stated, a 7 year old can pass. The entry barriers have already been minimized and the last thing we need is more kerchunko-lids on our repeaters. One has to make a minimal effort to get licensed and I don't see any need to further lower the bar.

 

[bill4long]

Between 75m and DMR worldwide, I have plenty of QSOs daily, on a variety of subjects.

Seek and ye shall find.

 

[kg4icg]

Darn, my TH-D74 doesn't think so listening and talking with some of the hams using DSTAR worldwide.

 

[frankdrebbin]

I am a fence-sitter about getting my license. Sure I took a trial online ham test a couple years ago and passed with the minimum. I just guessed at the rules. I have a CB but all I hear are people speaking Spanish and the same guys just cussing and blathering on about nothing. I had a good friend get his general ticket and he was always after me to get mine but he suddenly passed away last year so that kinda put a damper on it. I usually listen to 2m where I am and it only gets active during bad weather. I also listen to 40m and 80m but the conversations are few and far between. I did pick up locals here in town on 80m complaining that there were so many ham tickets in town but they never heard them on the radio. I went to a local ham fest they have every January, but it seems everyone's in a clique that doesn't want to converse with others outside of it. I'm still fence-sitting.

 

[rapidcharger]

Or dead.

I’m not licensed. I’m just a listener. Based on what I hear, I will probably just remain a listener. Hear me out.

When I monitor, this is all I hear. Wk3J2 listening. That’s it. After maybe an hour or so, the call sign will be repeated. Then some other guy will get on, give his call sign and now the watching of paint dry begins.

So let me see if I understand this and please correct me if I'm wrong. The amateur service is more networked and connected and affordable that ever to use but instead of having this conversation on the air, or having a conversation that is more enthralling than small talk about the weather or gear, we are chatting about this on the Internet where people routinely demonstrate how uncivil they can be towards one another.

Am I understanding that correctly?

It’s dying because not many people want to go through all the trouble to get licensed to have no one to talk to. I’m in that situation. I don’t want to get licensed just to have small talk with a stranger. Every conversation goes exactly like the one I described above.

If you let me know what sort of conversation would you like to engage in and I will suggest some repeaters you can connect to from wherever you are. Consider me a ham radio concierge.

Here’s an idea that can fix ham radio. If the rules were different and it only involved one licensed individual talking in a conversation, then there would be more users. Someone like myself can get licensed and register another person as a Registered User” like a wife or friend or neighbor that doesn’t want to go through the hassle of getting licensed. We could use local repeaters on camping trips or road trips when traveling in separate cars. It would create more interest.

There's way more going on in the hobby that walkie-to-walkie FM voice and it appears that you aren't aware of it. The purpose and scope of the amateur service doesn't mention families to communicating on camping trips.

All registered users that aren’t licensed would get their own call signs. Eventually if they want to talk to others, they can get licensed and have the ability to register other users.

I like how you think. And it takes stones to bring up such a proposal on the Internet where you can expect to be berated and attacked and called all sorts of names. The problem is that licensure and more stringent rules is aimed at preventing interference and interference is a very likely possibility given the much wider operating privileges that we have.

That’s the main thing. Ham radio is dead because there is no one useful to talk to.

If having useful people to talk to is how you gauge the condition and health of the hobby, it's quite possible you aren't hearing people due to limitations of your monitoring station. For example, conversation might be occurring on one of the many digital modes or it may be on HF. What bands and modes are you listening to?

If they loosened up the restrictions on who you can talk to, many more people would become enticed into the hobby.

An alternate hypothesis is that if they loosed up the restrictions, the service would be even less appealing due to interference and poor operating practices.

Because I have no one worth talking to, I’m stuck with simplex MURS or FRS. Most of the time it doesn’t get used at all because of the simplex limitations.

That sounds like an excuse not to study for and get your ticket. It sounds like getting licensed is something that you want to do so stop blaming it on "no one worth talking to" and go do it already. Once you get your ticket you will have truly earned the right to complain all you want about there being nobody to talk to.

Sure I can get licensed on GMRS but there aren’t very many if any repeaters in the area and when you do find one, it’s private. So what does that leave me? The damned cell phone if I want to talk to someone that I want to talk with.

No, you can also get online and chat with people on the Internet. Some of them will even show you their boobs or other privates.