MSGID: 1:135/250@fidonet 690a182c
PID: C-NET AMIGA BBS 5.36b
This is being cross posted from FB (GAG), the comments were "Automatically
turned off", so I could not get my 2cents in (Adjusted for inflaction).

Thought though I would post it here, to drum up same activity and get your
take. 

// Begin Copied Text //

Ham Radio is Dying . not because of the internet, or technology, or .kids
these days. . It.s dying because of us .. And before you blame the FCC, the
internet, or kids these days, let's be honest ..

IT'S OUR FAULT.... The repeaters are quiet, the club meetings are empty, and
the *SAME* 10 people are running every event ..

Meanwhile, we spend more time arguing about Baofeng's and Digital modes than
actually talking on the air ..

This is something I've been thinking about for the past 10 months (January
2025), and a lot of people do say Ham radio is dying and I tend to agree ..
I scan 80+ frequencies across town (daily), and what do I hear... . STATIC.. I
run my BF-F8HP PRO in Channel/Scan mode constantly.

Maybe once a week I'll hear a net .. but it's the same check-ins, the same
voices, reading the same old scripts (high blood-pressure, low blood-pressure,
no-pressure at all, etc.) ..

We call ourselves a communication hobby, yet half the time there's no one
communicating .....

From what I hear .., local clubs are losing members faster than they can
recruit them .. And when someone does try to spark interest, they're told,
"THAT'S NOT REAL HAM RADIO" ..

This "gatekeeping attitude" of superiority is killing us from the inside out
.. Get out of the "old man" mentality and let's welcome some new people into
the hobby .. I've had it with the "holier-than-thou" attitudes of old hands ..
I'm over it .. We've got to be welcoming to people in this hobby. And there's
nothing that sparked me into this this little bit of outrage, but the fact is
we've got to do better, folks ..

We're making mistakes (DRASTIC MISTAKES).... Let's talk about the next
generation. Where are they... They're on Discord | They're on Twitch | They're
on Tik-Tok | They're on YouTube | They're on Facebook.
Building massive communities around gaming and streaming and science,
technology, engineering, and math (STEM) .. They're not afraid of technology
(they live in it) ..

And yet, we can't seem to show them how Ham radio is technology .. Instead,
we'll tell them it's too expensive, too complicated, or they'll need to earn
it like they did in the 1980's. I laugh when they call 2m the Ham-walky
channel ..

Then we wonder why they never come back .. And let's be real, leadership
hasn't really helped .. The ARRL, the organization that's *SUPPOSED* to
protect and promote the Amateur radio hobby (still feels like it's stuck in
1995) .. The magazine has pretty much disappeared .. Yes, you can get it on
your iPad/Tablet, but it's pretty much disappeared .. Programs are
disappearing and the outreach just isn't connecting with modern day audiences
..
I feel like Rush Limbaugh right now .. We've just got to have a heart-to-heart
about this folks, and understand where our problems are as a hobby ..

/// End copied text ///

Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
Blog and Forums  - www.catracing.org
IMAGE BBS! 3.0   - bbs.catracing.org 6400
C-Net Amiga BBS  - bbs.catracing.org 6840
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