Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
Ron Bussiere (N4UE)
on
January 27, 2004
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I'm sure various points of this note have been covered in other eHam articles, but I have not seen the thoughts expressed in this manner.
My XYL and I went back to Central Kentucky to visit family over the Christmas Holiday. I had finished all the reading material I brought with me, so I decided to hit some of the Lexington, Ky. bookstores. Lexington is a very fast growing area, the 2nd largest city in Ky. It has a HUGE University. I guess I was more than a little surprised, that NONE of the 4 large bookstores, had ANY magazines dealing with Amateur Radio or electronics! In the past (before subscribing to both QST and CQ), I could pick up an issue when I felt the need. Not any more. No, they were NOT 'out of stock'. I asked the Managers of all 4 businesses, and the response was the same, "QST, ham radio, sure, we used to carry it, but not any more". Ok, I know all about 'supply and demand' and the fact that we hard-core hams, subscribe, but what about the true newcomer or want to-be?
I guess we still have wonderful avenues available to the curious like eHam and other Internet sites.
In the past, a person could always find some electronics related magazines for sale. The only magazines I was able to locate in the whole city were: "Monitoring Times", "Nuts and Volts", and strangely enough, several magazines on electronic circuits and projects from the UK! I am not UK bashing, but if someone wanted to actually build something from these articles, they would have a HECK of a time, since the part numbers were unlike anything I have ever seen!!!
I don't feel this is a 'general' trend outside of electronics. I have two other interests, target shooting and Hot Rods. There seems to be a huge growth in magazines that cater to those types of interests, with many VERY specific small markets. Sub-compact car magazines focused at the younger generation, for example... Even Tattoo magazines by the score! Take a look at the number of magazines for video games.
I am unsure where the heart of this matter is rooted. Surely, the explosion of simple, cheap consumer electronics has been a factor.
Think about years ago, having a ham in the neighborhood was somewhat comforting in emergency situations. Today's cell phone explosion has convinced the average person, they are secure in ANY situation. We KNOW that cell phone repeaters depend on AC power to function, not to mention telco lines. The fact that several of my HF radios operate on 12 VDC and I have several spare wire antennas and a fully charged deep cycle battery is a comfort to me, but to my 'antenna Nazi neighbors', I am nothing but an annoyance. From the amount of postings on the "Antenna Restrictions Forum" here on eHam, it seems that everything is conspiring to prevent one from 'hamming'. Operate through Echolink? Not me. Indoor antennas? Nope. Sure, it's better than nothing, but it just doesn't work for me.
Youth today are blessed with wonderful electronic gadgets, but how many times have you heard, "little Johnny is an electronic genius, he connected his X-Box all by himself and he's only 13 years old!"...
Today's disposable, SMD electronics are wonderful, but it's a double-edged sword. There's no 'character' to appliance operating. The challenge of trying to shoot 5 shots through the same hole, in a paper target at 100 yards, is the same type of challenge I experience working Meteor Scatter on VHF. Yes, modern electronics has made tremendous inroads into each and every aspect of life. I have a brand new, unused RigBlaster. "It will allow MS QSOs that are unreadable by ear". So what! You call that a QSO? How is that a challenge, letting a machine do your work for you?
When we moved to North, Central Florida one year ago, the cell phone coverage was SO bad, we got rid of the darn thing. Now, one year later, cell towers are everywhere. People driving like idiots, because they are jabbering away on the bloody phone. You cannot even navigate the isles in the supermarket anymore, due to hordes of people talking on their phones (about what, who knows or cares!) and not aware of the people around them. In just one year...
I guess the US ham population is holding steady. However, look around at the next Hamfest. You'll see lots of gray hair. Same thing at Hot Rod shows. Back 'in the day' we could modify and enjoy our cars, and yes, our radios. Today's cars (and radios) are much different. About all the kids can do to their cars today, is put in a louder radio, or put a bunch of lights on the outside. My buddies and I would swap camshafts at the drop of a hat. Progress? Yep.
Being a Product Engineer at IBM, I was responsible at one point in my career for writing Service manuals for Laser Printers. I was accustomed to myself and my buddies, who could fix just about anything. (I worked as a Field Engineer for 7 years). I met with Field Service personnel from all over the world, and I must admit, I was flat embarrassed at the quality of today's 'tech' here in the US. The Europeans were so far ahead of the US 'techs' it wasn't funny. I have two older buddies back in Kentucky that are 'technicians'. A lot of their Engineer (EE) co-workers bring their VCRs, radios, etc in for them to fix, because they CAN. Believe it or not, my manager once asked me to nurture a recent EE graduate. She watched me solder and said "So THAT'S how you do it!"
Good grief!
I don't have the answers to what we need to do to attract fresh blood, when our magazines don't even appear in public. Thank goodness for this medium, or we might become extinct quicker than we ever thought!
I had the opportunity to meet Wayne Green years ago. I was operating 6 meters from a mountaintop in New Hampshire. He came over and introduced himself. Love him, or hate him, he was a visionary. He said that in the decades following the 60s, the following would be explosive in popularity:
2 Meter FM (over the hill, now?)
Cell phones
Personal Computers
I doubted the PC prediction, even though I was working for IBM at the time!!! Bad call! ha ha
Thanks for the bandwidth.
Ron
N4UE
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by KD7KGX on January 27, 2004
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The ARRL announced about a year ago that they were discontinuing distribution of 'QST' to newstands because it was a money-loser for them.
I think this is a short-sighted move. I know that running across a 'QST' at the local Barnes & Noble is what turned me on to ham radio and motivated me to get my ticket, build an Elecraft K2, and spend several thousand more on HTs, VHF/UHF mobiles, HF rigs and shack accessories. I have also been an ARRL member since 2000 (bought the QST in March, joined soon after), so I'm sure my membership dues have covered the cost of refunding a distributor for the mags at the local bookstore for a year. I've also taken a couple of ARRL's courses and bought books from them.
All in all, QST at bookstores should be viewed as an investment... advertising, if you will. If an extra 10,000 were printed and distributed by 3's and 5's to two thousand of the larger bookstores/newsstands in the country, it would be a break-even move for ARRL... until the # of new hams and ARRL members were counted. Would getting 1,000 new hams per year solely due to QST (and perhaps 500 new ARRL members per year) be worth the investment?
BTW, the reason that the other ham magazines seem to be disappearing is, in my opinion, the quality of QST is so high that the other mags just aren't competitive. They have to pay more for articles, don't get the advertising revenues, and don't have the subscription base.
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by ANULLRETENTIVE on January 27, 2004
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>>I guess I was more than a little surprised, that NONE of the 4 large bookstores, had ANY magazines dealing with Amateur Radio or electronics!<<
This is because amateur radio magazines do not keep up with the times. Back in the 60's and early 70's projects like the postage stamp size rigs were published, these are and were considered state of the art for their times. Todays state of the art radios are Orthoganal Frequency Division multiplexed. Even TDMA/CDMA is barely mentioned let alone Ultra Wide Band time domain transmitters. We as a ham community are still sticking to- and re-publishing older outdated technology. Don't get me wrong but projects like the tuna tin transmitter in all its various renditions is a fine topic, just old information. It would be better off suited in either a beginers magazine or antique communications magazine. We just keep clinging to and rehashing the same technology while the commercial world is developing new modulation schemes and techniques.
>> Back 'in the day' we could modify and enjoy our cars, and yes, our radios. Today's cars (and radios) are much different. About all the kids can do to their cars today, is put in a louder radio, or put a bunch of lights on the outside. My buddies and I would swap camshafts at the drop of a hat. Progress? Yep.<<
Actually todays kids are putting in performance "chip kits" instead of cams. These chips precisely control valves, lift, duration, timing, firing etc. Not to mention LCD screens, DVD's, GPS, XM satellite radio, remote starters, and even ham gear.
>> A lot of their Engineer (EE) co-workers bring their VCRs, radios, etc in for them to fix, because they CAN. Believe it or not, my manager once asked me to nurture a recent EE graduate. She watched me solder and said "So THAT'S how you do it!"
Good grief! <<
Todays engineers have no need to solder any more than todays car driver needs to hand crank his car to start it. Engineering isn't as emperical as it once was. You design your circuit, run it through a simulation program, lay out the board and a pick and place machine stuffs and solders the components, and voila, test it and you're done. You really don't want a $100,000 a year engineer soldering when that's what the $30k technician is for. You want to keep that engineer designing.
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by W8JI on January 27, 2004
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I think it is kind of a social spiral.
Magazines don't make money at news stands. The first thing that goes are low quality (73 was techno-rubbish, Ham Radio magazine was about the same) magazines.
Radio isn't cool or neat any more to kids, so kids aren't interested. Parts stores (like Radio Shack) don't make big money on parts.
Video games took over what used to be learning time.
People have less time in the USA and we know less about how things work because we became a consumer market.
With our manufacturing base almost dead and technology jobs moving offshore, I wonder why anyone would expect a technical hobby to remain technical?
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by KAPV9947 on January 27, 2004
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Yes the Amateur radio magazines are getting hard to find in the stores. For us new people learing to get in and earn our ticket. Thanks to eHam I can find the information I need to keep studing and to find clubs in my area. Great article on Radio and Electronics ,Fading Away.
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by W8JJI on January 27, 2004
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Old radio hobbyists never die,
they just smell that way.
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by N4GI on January 27, 2004
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Forget X-box, cell phones, and FRS....
If you ask me, biggest "killer of ham radio" is the continuous stream of negative trolling "E-pinions" posted here.
Who would want to jump in and get on the air with a bunch of crusties with nothing but negative attitudes?
Blake N4GI
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by WY3X on January 27, 2004
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Ron, I agree with you 100%. In the distant future of 200 years from now, I predict that most folks will forget how to do for themselves, and we will have a world much akin to the end of H.G. Well "The Time Machine". Or worse, like "Terminator" where machines take over. I can see it now- it began with the dumbing down of ham radio.... mere appliance operators these days! It began with the loss of Popular Electronics.
I'm there Ron, I feel your pain!
-Web
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by K0BG on January 27, 2004
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It's not just magazines either. Our local ham club is dying a slow death as are many others across the US. You can analyze it any way you want, but in the end it is economics which have driven the proverbial stake in the heart of amateur radio. And brother, you haven't seen anything yet. This is not a naysayer attitude, it's just the plain facts of the matter.
Alan, KØBG
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Get Real
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by WPE9JRL on January 27, 2004
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Of course electronic experimenting has/is dying. It has run its course and is now at the end of its expended lifecycle.
Electronic experimenting used to be in the mainstream of society in the form of many things: hi-fi, SWL'ing, CB'ers, home electronics, personal computing. These things and others were a "pipeline" that brought some of the participants into ham radio.
Other things have replaced the above, most of all....electronic devices are all proven, tested, plug-and-play devices now. They are cheap and plentiful.
When they break, we buy another....probably at a fraction of the the original cost.
Electronic experimenting is no longer in the mainstream but located as a niche hobby for just a few. Hardly the stuff that will support a magazine to be offered at a newsstand.
Keep up with change. Stay flexible. Enjoy what we have now. Don't be stuffy and stodgy. Think young.
Smile. Don't let these kind of things bother you.
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Leave your copies of QST and CQ in doctor's office
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by W8KQE on January 27, 2004
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I got into Ham Radio back in 1977, because someone decided to leave a copy of QST in my dentist's office! I found it fascinating, and got into shortwave, CB, and Ham Radio essentially all at once. You may scoff at the idea, thinking it as a cheap, ineffective form of marketing/self-promotion of Amateur Radio, but it worked for me!
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by WA7NCL on January 27, 2004
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I bet that in 1930 there were guys that thought the world was ending just because people weren't making their own galena crystals anymore. What's gonna happen when they don't know how to position the cats whisker just right?
There are several reasons why there aren't as many "experimenters" as recognized by the author.
Firstly, the nature of experimenting has changed. Things are more complex now and nobody can afford the time and money to make it all from scratch. Imagine rolling your own microprocessor from 2n2222s! So experimenters work at the system level. Search the internet on Software Defined Radios. Also more experiemntating is occuring in the software relm. Not very recogizable to people used to popular electronics circa 1960.
Secondly, the lack of "magazines" is due to the authors definition of magazine. There a ton of web sites devoted to ham radio and experimenting. Check out the links at AC6V.com or the QRP club www.qrparci.org. You can spend hours and hours reading about stuff you used to wait a month for in a magazine. Things are different now, but there are still experimenters.
Thirdly, and this is the only troubling thing, the ham population is aging. Even the software community is aging. This means by nature less experimenting and more purchasing and maybe integrating purchased things. This is due to in general having more money as we get older. I remember when I was younger I built stuff out of junk because it was either that or nothing.
So you see that if you redefine experimentor and experimentation and the way you get information about it, there is as much or more than there ever was before, its just conducted differently now.
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by WM5Z on January 27, 2004
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Try checking your local library there. Here in Las Cruces, NM, our small town library subscribes to many periodicals, including QST and several others.
Steve/ WM5Z
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by WA2JJH on January 27, 2004
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Yes, and it stink's! It goes hand in hand with the ARRL box top ticket for ham radio!
I still love to build and experiment, that will never chsnge! RadiO Shaft is just a symtom.
The ARRL sell out proposal is another!
I miss Radio and popular Electronics.
One good thing. NUT&VOLTS changed it's image.
No longer a wanna-be hacker/PI mag.
It is sold on news stands. It looks just like Radio-electronics.You still have your dangerous kits,but no descambler and satelight TV rip-offs.
When the U.S was going to the moon in the 1960's, there was a huge push to get electronics into technical high schools. I went to BKLYN TECH, my self.
We are trying to got back to the moon now, GOOD LUCK!
The ARRL give a way is not doing anybody a service.
The ARRL plan is going down. I am glad non of my money had anything to do with it!
73 DE MIKE
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by K4PIT on January 27, 2004
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I agree with leaving old mags in public offices. Recently my wife had surgery and I took a few old ham mags and left them in the lobby. As we were leaving I noticed some people reading the old mags I had left. A lot of people enter the hobby when they learned there was something much better than CB and I'm sure a lot of folks would be amazed at how much better they could communicate with Ham radio over there half watt FRS radios.
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by N8FVJ on January 27, 2004
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Not many persons like in years past experimenting in electronics. Today, its a 'plug & play' environment. Additionally, ham magazines charge horrid prices for even 1/4 page advertising. The cash flow in volume does not support the magazine industry well & the internet has changed information communications.
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by AD5X on January 27, 2004
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A also leave my old magazines in public places. Usually Dentist, Doctor, and Optometrist waiting rooms. I also periodically take them to a local nursing home.
Been doing this for years.
Phil - AD5X
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by KC5NYJ on January 27, 2004
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Ham radio has not been nor will ever be considered mainstream "cool". Historically, hams have been characterized as either eccentric, geeky, ruggedly individualistic, odd, square or any combination of the aforementioned attributes. Most folks have no interest in talking to random strangers. The majority of those who do have gravitated towards chat rooms and web forums. Most folks have no interest in stringing up wires or even plunking down a magmount on the trunk. The very idea of pressing a switch to talk in a simplex fashion is viewed as backwards, primitive, weird, and will make other folks look at you funny.
Most kids generally have no interest in ham radio or electronics, just like their fathers before them. No reason to look back with nostalgia to an era that just wasn't that way. The big difference in the "old days" when you could find QST on nearly any well-stocked rack, and today, where you're more likely to find "Honda Civic Trader" is that the type of folks who once gravitated towards electronics hobbies and radio are now into other stuff like video games, home theater, computers, car stereos, etc. Used to be Radio was THE electronics hobby. Now it's competing with many other more mainstream accepted activities, such as blasting the neighborhood with 3000w of audio as you drive by.
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by KC0ODY on January 27, 2004
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I'm not sure if electronics and radio experimentation is dying... all I know is that kits are hard to find, and I've really been doing a lot of searching for decent electronic kits these days.
I've always been the type of person that likes to figure out how things work and how to build them myself, even though I'm not especially mechanically oriented. I usually try to fix my own car's problems, unless the problem is beyond the scope of my tools and abilities to fix. I enjoy the satisfaction that comes with saying, "I didn't have to pay someone else to fix this." I'd rather find out how to do it myself.
I just got into ham radio about a year ago (after being a MW DXer and SWL years before) and I got bitten by the building bug. So far, I've built five receivers, from MW to HF to VHF, as well as some other minor electronic projects. I'm thinking of eventually building an Elecraft K2 kit, but the cost of the kit is too high for me at present.
I don't know enough about circuit design to roll my own for now, but I suspect that will change as I read and study more about it. I'm very new to electronics, but I suspect it was that part of ham radio that really got me hooked (along with DXing).
It takes curiosity, time, attention to detail and patience to build your own stuff. Lots of folks today don't have (or don't want to take) time to do this sort of thing nowadays, plus it's easier to have someone else fix your car/stereo/computer for you (if more costly). I've learned a lot more about patience since I started kit-building. It's been a good experience for me all the way around.
I've also learned to ignore the strange looks and comments from others who find out that I like to fix, build and experiment with electronics... because I am a gal, and a younger one at that, and there aren't many of us out there who are into this sort of thing.
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by SSBDX on January 27, 2004
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Anybody remember blacksmiths? Everything gets old and replaced eventually. Instead of worrying and analyzing everything to death, why not enjoy it while you still have it. Why waste energy trying to change something you really have no control over?
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by K0RGR on January 27, 2004
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I see this as part of a bigger trend that scares the dickens out of me. I've seen it coming a long time.
First, we were told that we could send those smelly, polluting Rust Belt jobs overseas, because the high tech revolution would more than replace the factory jobs we sent to Asia and elsewhere. The corporations soon discovered that they could buy steel and other basic materials more cheaply overseas. Most Americans didn't care, they enjoyed the new technology. Instead of making steel, we were making transistors.
Then, we were told that we could send the rest of our manufacturing overseas, because we were in the midst of the 'Information Age', where Americans would sell their 'know-how' instead of their goods. Again, we would tell the rest of the world how to build the goods that we would then buy back at a bargain price. Instead of making ttansistors with all those deadly chemicals, we would write software.
Now, we're being told that in order to compete, our multinational corporations have to send the high tech, 'knowledge worker' jobs to India and China. Gee, the people in these countries soon found out that they didn't need Americans to acquire American 'know-how'.
They could somehow learn to program better than we do.
The geniuses who extolled the 'Information Age' did not see the coming of incredibly high speed communication and other parts of the digital revolution that make it possible for most of our jobs to be 'exportable'. They also failed to realize the obvious - if manufacturing moves elsewhere, the knowledge of how to manufacture goes with it.
The Japanese captured our consumer electronic market by building higher quality products than we did. American companies remained married to tubes, while the Japanese, often starting from scratch, adopted transistors. Sadly, in this country, the experimenters - the hams - tended to shy away from the transistor for a long, long time. The ham magazines tried, but it was a long time before solid state really caught on.
The Japanese did it a piece at a time. First, they conquered the market for electronic components. Our manufacturers were slow to change from high voltage, tube-oriented components to low-voltage higher current solid-state oriented products. Out first transistor products were ridiculous. Instead of building low voltage supplies to run the solid state circuits, some of our TVs were built with two high voltage supplies, with the transistor circuits running on the differential between them. If one supply died, all the transistors would be fried!
So, experimentation has been fading away here for a very long time. I think we need to do everything we can to encourage it and try to restore the concept of 'American know how'. If we don't, we're going to find ourselves in much worse trouble. Our kids need to learn how it all works!
America is already dangerously dependent on other nations. I remember back during the first Bush Administration, there was a trade conflict with Japan, and one of their trade ministers made the statement that the US would not dare to punish Japan, because Japan manufactures ALL of our military electronics. Think about that! Our enemy in the last big war is now our only source for our military electronics. YIKES!!!
So, this is why I get so agitated with both those who want to remove the technical parts of the hobby and those who want to keep ham radio as a private club for 'geeks'. I think it is our duty to keep this hobby vital, and attractive to kids. We have to find a way...
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by CBER1289 on January 27, 2004
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k4pit what do you mean by a lot better than cb.I am an 11 meter ssb op. You have a problem with 11 meter.
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by K4PIT on January 27, 2004
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OK then...CB is a lot better than amateur radio communications. There...wanna fight about it?
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by K4PIT on January 27, 2004
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CBer1289: I apoligize. I just read your profile and I didn't know you were a kid. Yes, I guess you could say I have a problem with 11 meters and I know ham is much better. I would encourage you to see for yourself. I don't want to turn this thread into a private dialog so you can email me at HAMmtotherow@hotmail.com if you like. Just take the HAM off of my email address, I put that on to throw off the spam-bots.
73, k4pit
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by KC0ODY on January 27, 2004
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CBer, I don't mean to be rude, but why are you posting on a ham-related website? Are you interested in ham radio?
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by K7CSM on January 27, 2004
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I did not realize that QST was not available in Barnes & Noble and other newsstands. I picked up a copy about every other month for a year or so before I decided to study and renew my old Novice ticket from the late fifties. Since getting my general ticket, I've subscribed to QST like others. QST on the newsstand was instrumental in getting me back into the ham game. I'm sorry to hear that it is no longer available to curious young people.
Tom - K7CSM - The Lead Sled Dog
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by KE4MOB on January 27, 2004
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As for the magazines, I can't seem to find any magazines that I like in my local bookstore (Books a Million). Two racks high, 100 feet long, stuffed with magazines for women, monster trucks, pro wrestling, teeny boppers, and computer games. Ugh.
I think ham radio's knowledge base has effectively moved to the internet. Why bother buying a book on antennas and feedlines when you can go to Cebik's and Walt Maxwell's homepages and learn from the authors?
Look at eHam...one of the most popular features of this whole website is the Elmers forum.
Magazines are rapidly becoming non-profitable. It's much more economical to build websites. Don't get me wrong, I love the stacks of old QST's...but member only websites are the way of the publishing future.
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by KD7KGX on January 27, 2004
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It's not that the American worker doesn't want these jobs... it's that the employer has to pay more than just wages.
Because the income tax burden is so high in the US, workers must be paid about 30% more so that their wage is livable. A software developer making $50k a year is only bringing home about $30k, or $2,500 a month. If he has a wife and two kids, and a house, and the wife watches the kids, then all of his take-home pay goes to pay expenses and it's hard for him to get ahead on $50k. But the guys making $50k gross are considered "rich" by the Democrats who want to raise taxes on these folks.
The company has to pay that $50k plus another 8% for SSI plus state and local payroll taxes. Plus, they have to pay healthcare. That $50k employee costs the employer at least $60k.
Now, the company can look at India or Russia and say "Hmmm... we can get educated people to do software development, pay them $10k a year AND THAT'S ALL, and while they might not be quite as productive as a US worker, we can hire two of them and get more productivity at one-third the cost." Plus, if development projects get cancelled, then the company doesn't have to worry about laying off employees and paying unemployment. They don't have to worry about providing for months of maternity or paternity leave, or mental health counseling, or being sued for firing an employee for cause.
Companies are inherently rational. The government has built a 'game' where the rules encourage a certain behavior. Unfortunately for the do-gooders in Congress who passed many of these stupid laws, the companies follow the letter of the law and take advantage of loopholes.
The solution (and it will NEVER happen): reduce the government's role to its proper and historic one and eliminate the nanny state. With the savings in costs, taxes can be cut radically. Better yet, eliminate income taxes and institute a federal sales tax that is limited to no more than 10% -- that way the middle-class family can save and invest without tax penalties, and the trust fund kids who screw around for a living can pay taxes on their ski trips, surfboards, fancy clothing, etc. Once income tax is eliminated, increase the SSI employee contribution to 12% and reduce the employer contribution to 4%, and let the employee take the 4% and direct its investment. At retirement, everyone gets the money from the 4% pool, and the 12% pool is dependent inversely upon other income (the more you get from other sources, the less you get from the 12% pool).
Revamp corporate taxes to 10% of gross earnings with no deductions, and exempt corporations from sales tax on items purchased for resale or inclusion into manufactured products.
These changes would see the US economy BOOM, a flow of foreign investments would come in, and we would once again be competitive on the world market.
But, until our government guts the nanny state it will never happen, and we will end up like Western Europe... with an aging population, no money for SSI, no middle class, and an increasingly economically-polarized electorate. Eventually there will be a revolution when "Atlas Shrugs"... and we'll start the cycle all over again, or maybe we will degenerate into a Singaporean-style dictatorship.
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by G3SEA on January 27, 2004
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1.Radio & Electronics are not fading away.Far from it.:)
2. I used to troubleshoot down to the component level,
still can and do when necessary.However I go with the flow ( charts :) ) and learn about different kinds of software and software defined radio's ie the TenTec Orion is an excellent example of where the technology is heading.However there will always be advocates of CW,SSB etc.
What is wrong with EchoLink ? It has allowed many hams to remain in the hobby for all the various and obvious reasons.It's just another mode but a fun one that has renergized many idle repeaters :)
3.I agree QST should have a presence ( even if small ) in major bookstores.
4. Once again it depends how you look at the hobby :
Glass half full or half empty ? Personally I think the exciting future makes it 3/4 full ! :)
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by WB2WIK on January 27, 2004
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Actually, I think the present and the future look pretty bright and rosy for anyone with an analog/RF engineering background, as there are fewer and fewer available. Heck, Harris/RF Communications was running a full-page ad in QST looking for RF guys; evidently, not many moving to Rochester, NY despite the good engineering school already there.
Here at work, we are always on the hunt for qualified RF engineers with a strong background in EMC (electromagnetic compliance), as we're designing stuff that has to be compatible with other stuff and must meet stricter requirements than ever before for conformity and compliance; this involves testing equipment over a broad range of radio frequencies at higher exposure levels, troubleshooting problems and creating low-cost production solutions for them. Last time we needed to hire someone for the lab, it took us a few months to find anybody who was actually qualified! Lots of digital guys, lots of software engineers and programmers, almost no analog/RF guys. They can almost name their own price nowadays.
And ham radio is the perfect background for such jobs!
The times they are a-changing, as Bob Dylan croaked out back in the sixties. I never thought I'd see the day when computers came with color-coded cables so anyone not completely blind can connect them and get going without the slightest idea how any of it works. But I was sure wrong!
WB2WIK/6
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away? HARDLY!
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by N7BUI on January 27, 2004
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I read so many posts from hams here on eham that are almost neurotic about the sky is falling. All you have to do is search for ANY subject related to ham radio and you will be rewarded with a wealth of information. We didn't have this in the past. The internet has provided an avenue that has allowed growth in all area's of ham radio. And its free!!! Can the magazines compete with that? No of course not.
But just because our traditional source of information has changed, doesn't mean that the hobby is "fading away". Eham has done a fine job of providing a forum for all of us AND getting some income to boot using small advertising banners. Again its free. They have managed to grow with Ham Radio and most of us will come along (some kicking and screaming) to the new century. I'd have to question the idea of the hobby fading when Icom, Yaesu, and Kenwood keep churning out new radios every year for us to drool over. Must be something that keeps them wanting to sell us the new toys!
George
N7BUI
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away? HARDLY!
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by N0WVA on January 27, 2004
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I hear the argument about ham radio being "irrelevant" and "obsolete". So it no longer holds any interest for certain types of people. Just because we have the internet, cell phones, and playstations. Well, I say we dont need those boring types of people. Ham radio is what it is. We shouldnt change what we are about in order to cater to a larger crowd. Look at model rocketry and r/c stuff. I could say that all these hobbies are obsolete, because we have the space shuttle, mars rover, and other things the average experimenter cant construct. But they arent obsolete. They are about teaching the PRINCIPALS of a certain technology. We still have kids who dream of launching a model rocket, flying a r/c plane, talking around the world on radio they made. Ham radio doesnt have to be on the "cutting edge" to be effective. It never had the monetary resources to create experimental laboratories or the like. Its just every day people who want to further their knowledge of electronics and communications and expand their creativity through hands on experience. Id hate to see where we would be if we didnt have these technical playgrounds available.
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by N3JWN on January 27, 2004
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away? Reply
by KC0ODY on January 27, 2004 Mail this to a friend!
I'm not sure if electronics and radio experimentation is dying... all I know is that kits are hard to find, and I've really been doing a lot of searching for decent electronic kits these days.
I don't know enough about circuit design to roll my own for now, but I suspect that will change as I read and study more about it. I'm very new to electronics, but I suspect it was that part of ham radio that really got me hooked (along with DXing).
It takes curiosity, time, attention to detail and patience to build your own stuff. Lots of folks today don't have (or don't want to take) time to do this sort of thing nowadays, plus it's easier to have someone else fix your car/stereo/computer for you (if more costly). I've learned a lot more about patience since I started kit-building. It's been a good experience for me all the way around.
I've also learned to ignore the strange looks and comments from others who find out that I like to fix, build and experiment with electronics... because I am a gal, and a younger one at that, and there aren't many of us out there who are into this sort of thing.
dick/n3jwn
Now I think this is rare or perhaps not read on! Thank goodness the spirit of experimenting and home brewing especially for a female. I went to school in the 60's and we had one female in electronics class.... She was the top student and went on to be and engineer... I on the other hand took the same 4 year course, was a 2nd class electronics tech ETR2 in the Navy, Spent 37 Years as an electronics tech for Bethlehem Steel. Been building home Brew, Eico, Heathkits and many others since I was 8 years old, fixing old shortwave radios the local radio/tv shop gave me or threw out because no one wanted them (most had on cabinets or cases they were neater that way to me) Jackie if you need any technical help or information I am!!! Were here to help if you need it and I am sure you will accomplish what ever you desire in life all I can say folks it's not really dead, just fewer of us really interested in doing it. ....... I love repairing all types of gear and being in Industrial electronics I've seen quite a different application of computers and many other things like a meg a watt or more of rf power @ 150 khz to fuse tin on sheet steel thru rf work coils etc....@ 3000 ft per minute............
My hats off to KC0ODY for letting us know she's perusing her dream we need to hear more for the females and youngsters out there Hams or not!! Just look up JPL labs and the continuing school education on physics, chemistry, computers, software, electronics robotics astronomy.......... My daughter is 14 in Airforce junior ROTC at Poly tech in Baltimore, and attended 2 years summer program on NASA continued education. The exploration of space. this was at Morgan State University in Baltimore City. Paid for by NASA she was instructed and tough by profferers on that fine collage........... Her name is on a CD on one of the Mars rovers now on Mars. She's very interested in Ham Radio and ran the local 1 hr net on 147.03 this week Lindsay wants to be a VET!............ Also reading on the JPL's web sight a female software head of the robotic project on Mars. She help write and leader of the software team. She was just Awarded from MIT one of the top 100 people who have added to the advancement of Man kind. There software development and robotic and electronics skills have lead to the development of the of drug, Mars, people and chemical sniffing robots ever designed and she female hurray!!! Gentlemen please take note!!! You can and will fulfill your dream in anything we want as kids. We just need to lead and neuter them, they will find what interest them......... there recognition might not all be in Ham Radio but it's still there.. When KC0ODY gets the urge for that rf design education we might be reading and building some of her newest articles on radio or whatever!!! Like to hear from the young out there interested in radio, electronics whatever. I just have faith that the spirit is still there magazines or not..........................Later
Dick / n3jwn rgbn3jwn@aol.com
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away? HARDLY!
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by KC5NYJ on January 27, 2004
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Good comparison on the model rocketry. That hobby has enjoyed exponential growth in "technology", but yet remains relatively obscure. Just like ham radio. The rocket guys are out there fooling with hybrid fuels, solid state accelerometers and timers, and gyro stabilized video cameras just as hams have extravagant communications technology at their fingertips. Unfortunately, the segment of population devoted to these hobbies has fostered neither the need for numerous model rocketry shops, nor kept the bean-counters from whittling away at the Rat Shack parts selection.
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away? HARDLY!
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by N5QDY on January 27, 2004
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N0WVA:
That was one of the most enlightening statements about Ham radio and technology I have read in months. Perhaps hams should push the idea that Ham radio teaches the PRINCIPLES of electronics and world wide communication techniques.
What a wonderful observation.
73,
Scott
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away? HARDLY!
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by KR4XH on January 28, 2004
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Is there a possibility the the $$$'s could push the pendulum back the other way; toward homebrew? I'd like to think that almost anyone who shows the initiative to get into ham radio is going to get the urge to "roll-their-own" something. Be it an antenna, a PSK interface or whatever... I said "I'd like to think"... I miss Radio Electronics( what wuz the guy's name in the trouble-shooting section? Big guy with a beard... Yeah, that narrows it down a lot. I'd know the name if I heard it again.), but I think the lack of these types of periodicals just reflects the changing times. If nothing else, ebay points me in the direction of vintage RF books!
73
don
KR4XH
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by KC0ODY on January 28, 2004
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Dick/n3jwn: Thanks for the encouragement... that's really neat about your daughter; she's gonna go far indeed... maybe REALLY far, like into space someday even! I've always been interested in space too, I'm an amateur astronomer as well as a ham, and my forte is astronomy education. I enjoy leading groups of people on tours of our club's observatory, and love to help them out with questions about astronomy equipment, where to find things in the sky, etc.
I find that many hams are also amateur astronomers. There are at least a dozen hams in my astronomy club. They got me interested in amateur radio, and from there, a couple of them interested me in kit building. It's a lot of fun to use something you've built yourself. I'm hoping that someday I can learn enough about troubleshooting and design to build my own stuff... I'm not sure I'll ever be able to design and market anything commercially, but that's OK if I don't. I'm just hoping I can continue to have fun and maybe pass along my enthusiasm and interest to kids. I love to teach, but now I am the student, as it were!
Thanks for your offer of help too... 73 to you!
Jackie
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by AA6E on January 28, 2004
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In "my day" -- the 1950s & 60s when I was first exposed to ham radio, QST, CQ, Popular Electronics, Radio & TV News, and lots of other rags were on the stands.
** But there was no Internet. **
Folks, you are reading eHam.net right here on the World Wide Web. This is the best way for "niche" interests to communicate these days. (Move over, Howard Dean.)
Many publications like QST are now published in Web editions. (ARRL is a little slow about this!) The hardcopy may be best for construction projects and material of very wide interest, but it's a very expensive medium compared to the Web.
Would you want ham mags on the newstands and no Internet? (And 19 cent hamburgers?) Maybe so, but think about all the new opportunities and cheap (yes, cheap) and powerful gear we have now.
Anybody can go on Google and type QST or "ham radio" and plunge right in for no cost. That's probably better than finding a random rag on the newsstand.
73- Martin
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by WA2JJH on January 28, 2004
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However if you like to build many RF projects, you owe it to your self to see what MINI-Cicuits sell.
MMIC's,(monolythic microwave IC) They are universal amps. They will amplfy from DC-6GHZ! They are class A amps. Use thier 200Mw one as a final or driver for a QRP rig. Use thier small signal one as an RF amp.
They need 4 external parts. Cost 2.00 or less!
Mini circuits also sell multi-octive VCO's, Mixers, filters and HPA's
WWW.minicircuits.com. Get the free RF designer catalog!
Hope this helps! 73 DE MIKE
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by AE6IP on January 28, 2004
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> Anybody remember blacksmiths?
Yup. I've got a couple of friends who still make their living as blacksmiths.
> Everything gets old and replaced eventually.
and the more things change, the more they stay the same.
> Instead of worrying and analyzing everything to
> death, why not enjoy it while you still have it.
so true.
> Why waste energy trying to change something you
> really have no control over?
whining is genetic.
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away? HARDLY!
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by AE6IP on January 28, 2004
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> I hear the argument about ham radio
> being "irrelevant" and "obsolete".
I prefer anachronistic, myself.
> So it no longer holds any interest for certain types
> of people.
s/certain types of people/nearly anyone/
> Just because we have the internet, cell phones, and
> playstations.
That's not it, but if we keep telling ourselves it is, we'll start to believe it.
> Well, I say we dont need those boring types of
> people.
Sour grapes.
> Ham radio is what it is. We shouldnt change what we
> are about in order to cater to a larger crowd. Look
> at model rocketry and r/c stuff. I could say that
> all these hobbies are obsolete, because we have the > space shuttle, mars rover, and other things the
> average experimenter cant construct.
You could say that, but you would be contradicting yourself. model rocketry and r/c stuff are still considered cool precisely because you can build your own equipment, fairly cheaply, and run it yourself with little or no hassle from 'regulatory agencies.'
> But they arent obsolete. They are about teaching the
> PRINCIPALS of a certain technology.
No they're not. They're about flying model airplanes or cars and launching model rockets.
> We still have kids who dream of launching a model
> rocket, flying a r/c plane, talking around the world
> on radio they made.
Well, we still have a lot of kids who launch model rockets, fly r/c planes, and race r/c cars -- those hobbies are about doing something cool that you can't do outside the hobby.
Talking around the world doesn't hold any magic any more. hell, m$ has started shipping multiplayer games that have voip
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away? HARDLY!
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by AE6IP on January 28, 2004
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It is in the nature of technologies that as they mature they become out of the reach of amateur hobbiests.
Very few amateurs are in a position to be able to design, develop and debug state of the art electronics -- and most of those can work in the electronics industry.
The context in which amateur radio fits has changed dramatically over the last 50 years. Amateurs can pretend it hasn't and that it's still the same hobby it was 50 years ago, or they can come to terms with the very different communications environment that exists now. One even far removed from the communications environement of 15 years ago.
Or they can wake up to what the world around them is doing and set their hobby in the context of the real world.
The first path leads to hobby obsolesence. The second path leads to a revigorated hobby.
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by K6BBC on January 28, 2004
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Great article! It has been my view for sometime that the influx of Japanese equipment in the early seventies (I’m not Japan bashing – the US manufactures did not keep pace, shame, shame) was the beginning of the decline of the hobby. This was years before The Internet. While Yaesu was releasing the FTDX 100, swan was answering with the Signet. Not difficult to see why the US companies went out of the ham business. And it was a shame. When I was a kid, American automobiles had a personality. In many was they matched the owner. A Cadillac made a statement. A Chrysler made a statement. Likewise, Swan, Drake, Collins, Heathkit, Halicrafters, all had personalities. Not so today. Discussion of ones rig is really of no point today. It’s all sad.
K6BBC
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by KF4VGX on January 28, 2004
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Hams kill their own Hobby with Chest thumpin Ego's
Club's that won't to control their members .
as long as you pay your Dues you have the right to say ( Nothing ) just do as we tell you . Yes it is fadeing away :( Do your on thing with Amateur Radio regardless to what others say . Beleve me you'll have a lot more fun than the Guys who worry about what your doing :)
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by AB2RC on January 28, 2004
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SSBDX -- "Anybody remember blacksmiths?"
FWIW there is a professional blacksmith about 5 miles from my home, but the nearest Amateur Radio shop is about 70 miles away....
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by N0WVA on January 28, 2004
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>The context in which amateur radio fits has changed dramatically over the last 50 years. Amateurs can pretend it hasn't and that it's still the same hobby it was 50 years ago, or they can come to terms with the very different communications environment that exists now. One even far removed from the communications environement of 15 years ago.
No one that I know seems to be ignoring the facts that it has changed. In my previous post I was only saying that there is no need to be all worried about ham radio merely because we all arent using our dumb-puters as control terminals. Or because every one of us isnt monitoring the pictures being sent back from the rovers. There will be those of us who take it to a different level, and there are those of us will only be learning about what pioneers have set forth.
The POINT IS, use what we have, expand your knowledge with what we have, learn about the foundation of electronics( which you seem to think we dont need), if you want to go digital with ham radio, then GET TO WORK! Dont let me stop you! Thats what its all about. I dont see any need to have a panic attack over the fact that most amateurs cant build a cell phone, fabricate an integrated circuit, or simply make a pn junction. BUT! We sure can learn about it, and there is no better place to do it than right here.
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by NI0C on January 28, 2004
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K6BBC:
Good points concerning the (near) demise of amateur radio gear manufactured in the U.S. Ten-Tec and MFJ are notable exceptions, though. From the reviews I've read, it appears that the Ten-Tec Orion is at the top of the heap as far as performance is concerned.
73 de Chuck NI0C
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by NN6EE on January 28, 2004
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Is lowering the code speed from 13wpm to 5wpm as sign of the times?
Is lowering the code speed from 5wpm to eliminating it entirely as a testing element a sign of the times?
Is really learning about electronics and retaining that knowledge for more skill in our hobby to memorizing the damn questions a sign of the times?
Is plug'N'play a sign of the times in our hobby?
YUP!!! All of the above are TRUE!!!
IT IS TRULY A SIGN OF THE TIMES for better or worse!!!
EE
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by AE6IP on January 28, 2004
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> No one that I know seems to be ignoring the facts
> that it has changed.
But many are, as can easily be seen by the number of Radio Shack bashing comments.
> The POINT IS, use what we have, expand your
> knowledge with what we have, learn about the
> foundation of electronics( which you seem to think
> we dont need),
I don't think there are very many amateur radio operators who understand more than the most elementary electronics.
I also don't think this is a bad thing.
I also don't think that the percentage is much different than it ever was.
> if you want to go digital with ham radio, then GET
> TO WORK! Dont let me stop you! Thats what its all
> about.
I'm not talking about 'digital'. I'm talking about understanding where ham radio *really* fits in the current communications environment.
Much of what hams believe about their hobby is no longer true:
1) The hobby isn't at the leading edge of technology, and doesn't seem to have been for nearly half a century.
2) The hobby isn't at the leading edge of emergency communications, and its role in EC has been decreasing regularly.
3) The hobby isn't appealing to anyone who is simply looking for an ability to communicate globably.
4) The hobby *is* a hobby
5) The hobby *is* anachronistic.
> I dont see any need to have a panic attack
> over the fact that most amateurs cant build a cell
> phone, fabricate an integrated circuit, or simply
> make a pn junction. BUT! We sure can learn about it,
> and there is no better place to do it than right
> here.
Amatuer radio is a fun hobby. I enjoy it immensly. It is not, however, a good place to learn about electronics or telecommunications, beyond the most simple aspects of either.
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by K4ZMV on January 28, 2004
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I've been a ham since 1958 and the hobby has changed. Recently, for the better. Mr. Hollingsworth is now enforcing the rules and the crud you used to hear on 75 and 20 is dramatically reduced. From the point of view of tinkering and building, unless you have a lab bench it's kinda tough to build a state of the art radio. But, that is changing, too. There is more and more digital technology applied to radios, e.g., Ten Tec's Orion. And we can sure play with that .... a lot!
My advice is to enjoy what we have, learn more about the new advances in radio technology, find a new comer, and quit belly aching. Accentuating the negative just makes us all feel bad. None of us old timers likes what is going on, but that ain't gonna change it. Look for the positive and be positive. Negative, sour grapes is sure not gonna bring us the new comers we need.
By the way, I am CW only and love this hobby. It may not look the same in 20 years, but neither will I.
73's and best DX
Jim K4ZMV
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by N2ERN on January 28, 2004
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K6BBB said: " When I was a kid, American automobiles had a personality. In many was they matched the owner. A Cadillac made a statement."
Well, they sure did. And cars lasted maybe 5 years. People traded them in after 3 years or so, because they fell apart. They really were junk. American auto makers thought they had us by the nuts.
Then the Japanese came in and proved that cars didn't HAVE to have a short lifespan.
And the auto business changed.
And the Ham business changed.
And so on and so on.
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by AE6IP on January 28, 2004
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> Well, they sure did. And cars lasted maybe 5 years.
Once upon a time, US auto makers made cars that lasted.
I can still recall a 49 ford that my mom had in the late 50s.
> People traded them in after 3 years or so, because
> they fell apart.
Not where I grew up, we didn't. It was rare to buy a car that was less than 3 years old.
> They really were junk. American auto makers thought
> they had us by the nuts.
Anybody remember the volkswagon beetle?
> Then the Japanese came in and proved that cars
> didn't HAVE to have a short lifespan.
I think Rover did that. The original Land Rover is still my all time favorite vehicle, and I know of some that are still running.
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by KC0PED on January 29, 2004
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Ummmm....
There is tons of this stuff going on. Its not the same exact stuff they did back in the day, but your just not seeing it.
Consider:
1) Case mods. There is a whole industry build up around doing modification of PC cases. Not too different from what they did with hot rods. http://www.google.com/search?q=case+mods
2) Overclocking. Seeing how fast you can make your processor go has become a sport. To get ever more cycles out of processers that were not designed to go that fast, hobbyists have resorted to everything from liquid nitrogen to mineral oil baths. http://www.google.com/search?q=overclocking
3) 802.11b. All the activity in RF experimentation is happening in data and in the public domain frequiencies. Check out the Pringle's can yagi antenna (http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/has.html) or the work that groups like Seattle Wireless are doing (http://www.seattlewireless.net/). No one cares about QSL, they care about TCP/IP. Open up more frequencies to the public and you will see and explosion of innovation. Right now its all crammed into a small band around 2.4ghz (and some now around 5ghz).
4) Have you read about ham clubs launching weather balloons with payloads? They can get upto 100,000 feet, send GPS and other telemetry. Was anyone doing that in the 60s?
If it was cheap enough, you'd see clubs put their own satellites in orbit.
There are so many more exciting things that push the envelope than working with crystal kits. It IS going on, and I think the ham radio community is just too old and out of touch to recgonize it.
All the bickering about CW looks all the more silly when you realize that the driving force behind all innovation in electronics and RF technology is data. NO ONE outside of this hobby gives a hoot about morse code, and there are plenty of other options available where they can goof around with RF now.
Max Planck said, "New ideas don't win really. What happens is that the old scientists die and new ones come along with new ideas." Same thing is happening here.
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by KA1YUW on January 29, 2004
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I use to work for Radio Shack. And it was the worst company I have ever worked for. Never kepted up their inventory and treated their sales people like dirt. All they want to do is push cell phones and satillite tv. The company is run by a bunch of over educated and greedy idiots. And when you go there to buy something and they don't have it. Ask the manager this question.
Ever wonder why we are in a recession? They will say no. You reply cause you can't buy anything. Every time I go to buy something there. They are always out of stock. But I only go there at last resort. Radio Shack,
the junk store.
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by K6BBC on January 29, 2004
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Yeah, you're right. But it was a better world back then.
K6BBC
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by WD5L on January 29, 2004
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I have been a ham operator for 28 years now. When I started back in 1975 you couldn't buy ham radio equipment new, used or kitted at Radio Shack. QST was not on the shelve of popular magazine stands and if you wanted to build a real piece of equipment you had to either order parts through mail order houses or trek over to the one ham radio store in the area to get some of the parts.
Even then hams were lamenting the lack of parts for home brewing rigs and receivers. And yet we who wanted to build built rigs. My first homebrew rig was an 80 through 10 meter CW transmitter using a 6GK6 oscillator tube and a 6146B final PA tube. What we couldn't buy we substituted or built.
I would say today that there are more options for homebrewers. For one thing there were no ham radio clubs dedicated to homebrewers and QRP. I remember some old timers looking at my Herring Aid 5 receiver in admiration when I brought it to the ham radio club meeting.
Also there are many fine kits out there. I have an Oak Hills Research Sprint 30 M CW Transceiver, three Ramsey CW transmitters for 40, 30, and 20 Meters. I have a Tejas Technologies 20 M DC CW transceiver. I'm currently finishing up a 38 special 30 Meter Superhet X-ceiver.
But as far as kit companies go you can purchase from Oak Hills Research, Small Wonder Labs and Wilderness Radio has a fine 160 - 10 Superhet CW Transceiver called the Sierra. Then there is Entech which is every bit what Heathkit was and better and has a variety of modern state of the art DDS transceiver kits.
Want to roll your own. Then their is DAn's Small Parts and if you need etched boards for a project you can order boards from almost any QST, Ham Radio or 73 project through FAR Circuits.
You can even build a fully featured Direct Frequency Synthesis SSB/CW Transceiver. It's in a book called Building an Intelligent Amateur Radio Transceiver and you can even get all of the PC boards from FAR Circuits.
So heat up those soldering irons and let the fun begin!
72's
Rick, WD5L
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by KI4ASK on January 29, 2004
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There seems to be two issues in this thread. The first part deals with the lack of radio and electronics periodicals in the local bookstore. While I agree that the quantity of magazines is on the decline and the general availability, I am pleased to report in our local market (Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million) that the following magazines are stocked on a regular basis: Monitoring Times, Popular Communications, Amateur Radio, Nults & Volts, Popular Mechanics, Scanning USA, and a few other speciality magazines (including one on vacuum tubes). Without getting into a debate on whether or not those are *real* electronics magazines, the truth is that at least they have a a presence on the rack. I should probably subscribe to a few of those that I buy from the rack (to save money), I still like to browse and buy on impulse. Maybe I'm one of the reasons they keep stocking? They see some traffic.
The second part of the thread deals with the larger and more important issue (in my opinion) about the hobby of homebrew fading away (as evidenced by the lack of magazines). I would agree that it's true for reasons already stated. I got my start in this hobby building some of the projects in the defunct "Radio Electronics" magazine. It's a shame, but it's true. Things change. In a previous thread about Radio Shack I lamented that I couldn't find a crystal radio kit (or even the necessary germanium diode) to build with my 8 year old daughter. I had to special order it from the internet. Even the local HRO in Atlanta laughed at me when I asked about crystal radio and simply handed me an MFJ catalog! That's a shame.
I'd like to end this post on a more positive note. Many of us were attracted to the hobby because of interest in homebrew. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a total novice when it comes to home building. I can build simple projects, but have never built my own complete radio (except for the aforementioned easy crystal receiver).
I see a renewed interest in the hobby because of national security / public service concerns. Magazines like Monitoring Times and Pop 'Comm cater to this interest and I think it's worth maximizing in order to introduce new folks to the hobby. Reading the recent ARRL poll results (see the minutes from their last board meeting on the ARRL site) it would appear that public service is a driving force in keeping hams interested. Perhaps we can exploit that interest to recruit new hams. I am *not* of the opinion that people will simply flock to the hobby if they're interested. I was a scanner/SWL for 20 years before a ham friend of mine finally pestered me enough to get me to take the test and get licensed!
Once into the hobby, new hams will gravitate towards areas of interest. I for one am inspired to learn more about homebrew because of interaction with others who have found it rewarding.
In summary, I guess I'm saying that maybe soldering and building might not be the most effective way to attract new hams. Because of reasons stated previously (technology, know-how, lack of parts, IC's, etc), homebrew is losing popularity. If that's the case, let's try a new tack - public service interest. Just a thought.
Joe
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by WA2JJH on January 29, 2004
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R&E is not fading away.
True I miss Radio Electronics and Popular Electronics.
However NUTS&VOLTS is on the news stands in NYC.
Yes I do miss it when a project,like the TUNA-TIN 2 TX parts were ALL available at your nearest RAT SHACK!
One just has to be more resourcefull, and wait for your parts from digi-key, mouser, Ramsy, or MINI_CIRCUITS.
Elecrtonics has not ""faded away"", it has just gone more ""unnderground""
The average Joe Shmoe is not into building things.
That is your instant gradification generation for you!
The same group of chumps that want a HAM ticket in their Captain Crunch and Cocoa puffs!
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away? HARDLY!
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by K1CJS on January 29, 2004
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>>>Good comparison on the model rocketry. That hobby has enjoyed exponential growth in "technology", but yet remains relatively obscure.<<<
I'm not trying to be argumentative, but if you were to do a little research on it, some states have outlawed model rocketry. Their reasoning is to stop people from hurting themselves or some such crap. (Big brother in protection mode) In some states, model rockets are considered fireworks, and fireworks are outlawed.
There is also a need for open spaces for launching, when those things come down, there could be damage (unlikely but possible) and who wants to be sued for damage?
There are a lot of reasons that model rocketry is obscure and not widespread--I've only mentioned two.
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A simple observation.....
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by K1CJS on January 29, 2004
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I am just wondering why the some of the people who post here say... "We have to get with the times, we have to adapt to keep ham radio alive, we have to embrace the newer technology and adapt the older"... and then say out of the other side of their mouth "We MUST retain the code requirement and should require higher code speeds for the advanced licenses"
What is wrong with this picture???????
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RE: A simple observation.....
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by K4CMD on January 30, 2004
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OH GOD! Another fine article roped into the CODE debate!
I for one must agree that the definition of "magazine" is key here. Eham.net has more information on it than a decade's worth of QST, all searchable, instantly accessible and available worldwide without higher postage rates.
And look to the left and above -- it's got advertising too!
Meade K4CMD
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by KC0LPV on January 30, 2004
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You know, I was just taking a break from reading the March 2003 Nuts & Volts article on building a low-cost radiation detector using a biased neon bulb as the ionization chamber when I decided to order a basic stamp starter kit. Yeah, it's about 10 year old technology, but a "computer on a chip" is a pretty darn cool thing to play with, and I can use it to create all sorts of useful projects in amateur radio and my various other hobbies--including my profession (physics teaching/research).
I answered an email from my friend at CalTech, a grad student, who was curious about the radiation detector. I think he's going to cobble one together as well.
Anyway, as I was sitting there, 27 years old, soldering iron hot on the stand and parts strewn about my work desk, thinking of how I could present this project to the local ham radio group (of which I am an officer)I thought "yes, surely the electronics hobby is dying now."
Jim kc0lpv
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by WA2JJH on January 30, 2004
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If Nuts&Volts is not at your news stand, a subscription
is worth it.
It looks like Radio and popular electronics. However they have a diversity of projects from radio, lasers,robots,stamp controllers, and just about anything else.
They also list ALL the up comming Hamfest/schlock fests.
Worth the money.
www.nuts&volts.com
73 DE MIKE
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by WA2JJH on January 30, 2004
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How many NYC Radio-shack or K-mart workers does it take to change a light bulb?
None of your*%*^%^*(%&$$*$^$(Business!
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by K4CMD on January 30, 2004
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A light bulb, you say?
"We ain't got none."
-- RS Manager
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by KB1KOX on January 30, 2004
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< The hobby isn't apealling to anyone who is simply looking for an ability to communicate globally>
<Talking around the world doesn't hold any magic any more>
And to think this is why I finally got my licsense!!
Guess I mind as well pack up the radio's and put away the antenna's and stick to playing on the "puter"
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by KG6AMW on January 31, 2004
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K0RGR, the Japanese themselves are having similar problems. They are slowly losing their home grown consumer electronics and steel industry to other low cost producers.
KG6AMW
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by KC0KVU on February 1, 2004
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Google Search: Amateur Radio
Hits: 2,820,000
Google Search: Knitting
Hits: 1,680,000
Hey, knitting has been around a lot longer than Ham Radio. At least in this instance we're more e-popular! ;)
Seriously though, find something better to worry about than a perceived decline of amateur radio. As long as there's at least one other ham than myself I'll be happy to hop on the air. And when that ham dies, I'll be perfectly happy to take on the challenge of listening to our radio signals sent back from other planets. Technology is changing and the vast majority of hams are not.
$.02
Adam
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by VE3WGO on February 1, 2004
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I think that the ease with which we can read articles (like this one), and buy parts, both over the internet, has only made it APPEAR that radio and electronics is fading away. But it isn't really...
Information is becoming "digitized", and Ham Radio is no exception!
After all, there is much more Ham Radio info and project plans to read on the internet than in a once-a-month issue of a hardcopy magazine, right? And it's international in scope, not just local content.
And instead of leafing through a paper copy of some 2 or 3 year old parts catalog, you can log on to "your favourite parts store.com" and search for the parts instantly, then pay for your purchase on their secure shopping basket page, so it will be at your door just a couple of days later!
Seems to me that the internet has actually made Radio and Electronics easier, not harder. And the number of "places" you can go to get info and parts is exploding, not shrinking.
But if you just measure growth in terms of the number of radio stores in your neighbourhood, or the parts that RS sells (another eHam topic thread), or whether your local mag store still stocks QST or CQ or not, then I don't think you are using an appropriate yardstick anymore.
I haven't bought an ARRL "Handbook" (or whatever they call it now) since 1998, and I wonder if I'll EVER need another one. There is just too much more up-to-date info available on the 'net, and from ARRL itself and other publishers, on CDs. On the other hand, I am a bit of a book collector, with something like 65 different titles and/or editions of various ARRL books in my shelf, plus about 50 other radio books, along with a dozen or so CDs. But I think the CD and web page percentage of my technical info collection will grow much faster from now on...
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by WB7SAJ on February 2, 2004
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The decline in ham radio and electronics
is a simple lack of proper pay to technical
employees. Hence why do electronics when
everything else pays more! I repaired ham
radios for 7 yrs. I had to take a vow
of poverty. Trade policy has distroyed the
america I grew up in, up yours wall street.
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Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by K2JX on February 2, 2004
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Magazines have priced themselves outta the business.
Trade magazines run 7 to 10 dollars a copy. Specialty magazines are just as expensive. Go to any Borders book store and look at how many people are reading magazines. When they are finished they leave without buying a copy. Probably 40% of all mags is advertising. For additional "reading " many list web sites to go to ! They killed it not the reader.
73 de K2JX
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by W9WHE on February 3, 2004
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Wo needs radio magazines full of all that technical stuff?
If ARRL has its way, all one need do is send in 2 cereal boxtops and SHAZAM! "youv'e got HF priveleges".
TIME TO RECALL ARRL B.O.D.
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RE: A simple observation.....
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by K1CJS on February 4, 2004
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>>>OH GOD! Another fine article roped into the CODE debate!<<<
Sorry, not intentionally. I was trying to draw attention to one thing that possibly could be influencing the supposed decrease of interest in ham radio by saying there are too many hams out there who would rather keep to the traditional ways instead of considering change. Traditional ways have merit, but unless the newer ideas are included along with the traditional, obsolescence soon follows. 73!
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RE: A simple fading.....
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by NE1Z on February 4, 2004
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This has been coming for 20 years, average age of a ham is now 60 so "young blood" is a pretty wide variation.
Even a single class, no code license wouldn't bring youth back!
Yet morse code is most important issue around!
Bill NE1Z
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by KC0PXJ on February 5, 2004
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Hmm, where to start. I'm a new HAM, though 28, so not really a kid. I almost got into HAM as a teenager because of a booth at my county fair, however I was involved in many things and chose not to, because I didn't have any money and I had no shortage of interests, I just did other things. I would have liked very much to get into it at that time and I did make a little electromagnet click clack telegraph set (wire, not radio based).
I think there will always be a core of individuals who know how things work. I've always wanted to be one of those, but as others have mentioned the increasing complexity of cars, radios, everything makes it very difficult to figure things out sometimes even with the aid of expensive test equipment and years of technical education.
I understand not wanting to pay a $100000.00 EE to solder things together, but even with modern hardware construction your designs for you, I think an EE should have spent some time with his or her hands on at the very least in college and maybe even hopefully during his or her own time building some recreational circuits.
For those of you out there with years of experience and technical knowledge please consider mentoring a child, I can't speak for the masses of nintendo fed junkies, but I thrive when someone more experienced takes the time to help me learn things and as a child that would have conclusively hooked me on HAM radio.
If you are interested in doing something like that, I'm not sure how you should proceed, but I guess if I had the time for something like that I might talk to a highschool or lower science teacher. Who, hopefully, would know of some students with the interest and attention span to benifit. If you do try mentoring and they show up with a game system and a chip they want you to solder inside to modify it... Well don't give up right away, try to be flexible and hope to fuel some true learning, interest and understanding.
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by KB0GU on February 10, 2004
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With the new license structure proposal and relaxed requirements for license, there may be an increase in the ham population which will make it more attractive to publish and distribute such magazines. When CB's were popular, remember all the magazines (S9 etc) on the magazine stands devoted to that craze, the magazines that were distributed had a focus on radio purchaser and user with an eye toward some technical aspects of radio. As with everything else it is market driven and publishers will go where the money is and they can get advertisers to support them.
The new recruits may well need a magazine that is redefined to meet their needs and readership. Less technical more rudimentary and more "elmerish" in the first half of each issue, then some incresingly difficult and challenging articles towards the end. Such a magazine should also endeavor to promote desire to advance in the hobby and desire to improve technical expertise. This will be a different magazine, with different editorial, technical and psychological flavor than what we have been used to.
Gee, anyone want to start a new magazine with me?
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by N6HBJ on February 16, 2004
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N4UE said: "...... Same thing at Hot Rod shows. Back 'in the day' we could modify and enjoy our cars, and yes, our radios. Today's cars (and radios) are much different. About all the kids can do to their cars today, is put in a louder radio, or put a bunch of lights on the outside. My buddies and I would swap camshafts at the drop of a hat. Progress? Yep....."
Ron are you kidding?! My friend you are out of the loop. Its ALL about modification THESE days too. Stroker motors, cams, heads, superchargers (blowers), nitrous, headers, and yes computer programming of ignition timing, fuel curves, etc. Try opening up a late model Mustang magazine and it is FILLED with modifications!
What is my point? It is not as bad as you say it is. Its all about your perspective.
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RE: Radio and Electronics, Fading Away?
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by N4UE on May 27, 2004
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Thank you all for the great comments. My intent was to 'stir the pot' (in a friendly way).
I DO realize times have changed with eHam and the WWW. I often wonder how I got along without it. The proliferation of free manuals (like the R-390A Y2K example), BAMA, etc, make me proud to be here at this point in time.
However, there is still a tremendous 'dumbing down' of society in general. I started my professional career with IBM as a Field Engineer. I started off repairing Selectric Typewriters. VERY complicated mechanically, with 100s of adjustments. I had a territory with over 700 of them and wished for an unknown problem so I could challange my ability. It got pretty boring.
Try to find someone TODAY to fix one! gud luk. No boards to swap.
As my career advanced, I had the oppertunity to write Service Manuals for IBM and non-IBM techs, world wide. I was shocked at the decline in ability of these techs to fix anything, electrical OR mechanical. It just got worse with time. It did appear the Europeans were much better than the USA Techs........
After I retired, I have taken a job in the parts department of a large motorcycle dealership. The questions we get asked daily, are the stuff comedy routines are made of. This is in SHARP contrast to my very first job out of high school as a counterman in an automotive store. The guys back then were from a different mold.
One poster took me to task saying the kids today hook up their laptops to their cars and can "change valve lift, valve timing, etc"...HUH???? I don't think so, bub.
We sell jet kits for 'bikes for about $60. A 'power commander' (PC interface for FI engines) cost $350. Yes, you can change a lot of tuning aspects, but unless you're from Alpha Centuri, you ain't gonna change timing governed by a chain! Period! There is only small incremental changes to be had. For the major changes, ya gotta get out the wrenches.
I have 2 street rods, including a 1937 Plymouth that went 9.89 sec (in the 1/4 mile) at Indy's IRP track. Yes, I drive it on the street here in Florida and I built the motor myself. I know which end of a wrench to hold.
I have had all the high tech vehicles, Corvettes, etc. They leave me cold. Give me the old Plymouth or my 1965 427 AC Cobra.
I am glad that SOME of today's youth work on thier own stuff. I see them every day and nurture them as much as possible. However, I still see the crowd who doesn't know what displacement engine they own. "What's 'displacement?", "Ain't they all the same?" (we hear that 10+ times a day.)
regards,
ron
N4UE
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