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What Is Amateur Radio's Future?
There were around 600,000 U.S. Amateur radio operators at its peak. However, the advent of the Internet and cell phones has had a negative impact on that statistic over the years.
It comes as no surprise. Human nature takes the easy way out when acting upon the task at hand. When communicating with others, it’s no different. People always gravitate toward the most convenient way of communicating. However, for all the benefit that the Internet and cell phones offer, those forms of communication don’t always offer the best solution.
Chat rooms and email have removed the need for human contact. With ham radio communication you do not see the person you are conversing with but you are able to learn some basic things about the other operator simply by listening to their vocal inflections and the emphasis they place on specific words and phrases. Of course communicating in this manner presents more of a challenge and requires that some basic skills are required.
Any hobby or sport requires overcoming certain challenges. Learning skills associated with Ham radio is no different. I personally believe that Amateur radio communication is far more rewarding. Because you are learning a skill and then directly applying the knowledge you have obtained has to be far more enjoyable than sitting in front of a monitor and keyboard for hours on end.
However, try to explain that to someone who'd rather grab a cell phone and speed dial, text message or send a photo. Hold on a minute! Isn't a cell phone a radio? So, what’s the difference then? Just about anyone can sit down with a manual or read a Web page to learn to operate cell phone. One clear difference is that the cell phone operator will be helpless if the power grid becomes disabled.
A Quick Note About Cell Phones:
I wish the younger generation would stop text messaging when driving. My thoughts are that if we can send probes into deep space, why can’t cell phone text messaging be disabled while the phone is in motion?
But thinking that through, doing so would disrupt corporate profits. So more than likely, it’s greed that stands in the way of saving lives. Did I hear someone say; tobacco industry?
When it comes to emergency communications, Ham Radio wins. Amateur operators have the equipment which continues to operate when the power grid fails. Amateur radio operators volunteer their time and train to work with Federal emergency teams to assist with communications during disasters.
Taking an Interest:
It seems that youngsters and retired people are the ones who gravitate toward the Ham radio hobby today. Getting licensed is now easier than ever since the code requirement was dropped in 2006. I recently read an article about a school on the west coast where a science teacher brought a good number of students into the hobby. Kids took a genuine interest simply because it was offered as part of the course curriculum. It's sad that more schools don't offer such hands on skills and theory of operation.
A Value Added Hobby:
Through all of its changes, Ham radio remains an interesting hobby with an abundance of skills to learn. Amateur radio is the only hobby where you can purchase a kit, put it together and then meet people. From medium wave to microwave, there is no other hobby with so many things to discover and ways to learn new skills.