On 11/14/13, Greg D <[email protected]> wrote: <snip>
>> I often get a similar reaction when I talk about amateur radio, >> particularly from younger people. They can't quite grasp why I'd want >> to put together a station and, perhaps, talk with someone when there >> are easier ways of doing that. Even if I don't have any contacts, I >> like to find out just what the hardware can do and how far my signal >> can go. It's fun to know that I can reach a satellite that's, say, >> somewhere over the Arctic Ocean north of Siberia putting only 5 W into >> my Arrow yagi. > > Don't give up hope. Not all of the next generation is a lost cause. What surprised me was that I got the aforementioned reactions from--ahem!--engineering students or recent engineering graduates. When I started my engineering studies 40 years ago, I had been an SWL for nearly 2 years and had QSLs from a number of foreign stations. Even then, I knew I wanted to get my callsign some day. I haven't given up hope. I'm just saddened that amateur radio is viewed not as a technical activity that makes use of much of what's taught in university but more like an eccentricity. > > I just got back from the 38th anniversary reunion of the original > Homebrew Computer Club, a group from the '70's and '80's with similar > objectives focused on learning, experimentation, and mentoring. The > group was formed in 1975, and by a show of hands, the vast majority of > those attending the sold out event weren't even born yet. But they were > there, engaged, excited, and wanting to pick up the torch being > symbolically passed to them. "Cool" to them has a lot in common with > what it is to us - accomplishing something with skills and random parts > in ways nobody thought possible. One thing that's often forgotten is that hams were among the earliest users of personal computers. > > To me (an early member of the club), there's still nothing more amazing > than being able to stand in the middle of nowhere with my TH-D7, and > bounce a packet off the International Space Station as it zips by at > 18,000 miles per hour, resulting in a PC elsewhere on the planet "ding" > with a new bit of email. Then talking to a (younger) co-worker, as I > did last week, explaining how I did that, and getting a genuine "wow" in > reply. > > Hang in there. Initiatives such as what the FunCube team is doing will > help get the word out, and the awareness up. And a new generation of > "Wows" will be inspired. I still get similar comments from people but it's usually from older adults. 73s Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
