On Wed, Oct 16, 2019 at 10:24 PM, Pete M0PSX wrote:
It already has changed and is very different from what it was 50 years ago,
let alone a hundred.
Au contraire, it is the technology that changes and not the essence of amateur radio.
How many of today's radio amateurs are capable of designing and build their
own multi-band, multi-mode transceiver from scratch? How many could design and
build an SDR transceiver from scratch? And with the availability of cheap
hardware, how many are inclined to do so and/or are currently operating using
a recently built & designed homebrew multiband, multimode transceiver?
It's always been the case that most of we are sheep who follow the designs
of others and construct accordingly, witness the current interest in the QCX
and BITX designs and the K2 availability in kit form.
So yes, it has changed, and the hobby (or pursuit, as you prefer) is
continuing to change.
<PANTOMIME MODE>
OH NO! IT HASN'T !!
</PANTOMIME MODE>
Many view change to be a good thing and embrace it.
As, indeed, have I, and ten years ago resolved a longstanding
doubt of mine that many of the published descriptions of
the mathematics of sampling for DSP were wrong, to the
extent that I can now understand all of DSP from the
lowest levels up.
Others are scared of it and are desperate to cling on to the past.
I don't know anybody in that category. Have you any examples?
Some things haven't changed though - For instance, even though getting a full
licence is how harder than back when you got yours (higher standards?),
Really? Are you sure? I thought that the differences between Hartley, Clapp
and Colpitts oscillators were no longer tested?
some
of today's amateurs are still prepared to put in the work, despite the fact
that a minority of the old guard ignore them or look down on them whilst
they're still progressing through the lower levels.
There are no lower levels of respectability.
There are only SWLs and Full licensees although there are quite a
few CBers-masquerading-as-radio-amateurs.
It's not too late - if you'd like to help to make sure that the hobby (or
pursuit, as you prefer) doesn't die, I'm sure the community would welcome your
support and input.
I return your invitation and request that you make a stance against the
dilution and lowering of technical standards in that the future of amateur
radio may be the same as its past; that of technically savvy individuals
making use of technological equipment for radio communications via
their deep understanding of what makes the rigs tick.
