Subj : Re: No license operators
To   : tenser
From : jimmylogan
Date : Sat May 18 2024 09:30 am

-=> tenser wrote to n2qfd <=-

 te> So, if people behave like that, why would a young person be
 te> motivated to study for and then _pay money_ to get licensed?
 te> Just to be verbally abused by some jerk on the air?  No, thank
 te> you.

One of my best friends was a scout leader when his kids were
still young enough to be scouts. One of them was interested
in HAM - at least interested enough to wonder about it. Turns
out that was all, but at least he was interested a little.

I took him out to my truck one day and showed him my mobile
unit and BRIEFLY explained repeaters. When I made my call,
I said I had a scout with me that was interested. I knew if
I didn't I'd either get crickets or just general "oh well"
stuff. Got a call back immediately with a dripping 'salesman'
sound. LOL

 te> For people buying the Baofengs on Amazon and treating them
 te> like souped-up walkie talkies, I can see why: you don't have
 te> to put up with the asshatery, if you're even aware of the
 te> licensing requirements in the first place.  So if someone
 te> buys a cheap HT and talks around the neighborhood, does it really
 te> hurt anyone?  Probably not.  Are there hams who are going to
 te> get seriously bent out of shape about it?  Yes, absolutely.  Do
 te> I care about their opinions?  Mostly no.

As you say below with Cell phones and video chat, it's not something
that is NEEDED (as long as the network is up at least). I had those
cheap walkie talkies as a kid and one of my brothers found out
(by accident) that if he turned his 23 channel CB to channel 17
he could TX and RX with me - if I was close enough to shout to
him anyway. LOL

So if I were a kid today and had a chance to have a $30 'walkie
talkie' that my buddy could get one like, and I was careful to 
stay off any freq that local guys were using? Yeah - I'd probably
do it - and if I hear any of that on the air today I'll share the
fact that if they get licensed they can do this all around the
world, etc. etc.

 te> that no one wants to upgrade and work HF.  Why would they?  I can
 te> pick up a phone and call pretty much anywhere in the world for
 te> no incremental cost over my usual service.  I can voice and video
 te> chat someone on the other side of the planet in real time over the
 te> Internet similarly.  The niche that radio once held is gone, and

I use HAM for reasons that phone/internet can't do - to reach out
over the air and talk to people I don't know. People I do not have
a relationship with already. 

Kinda like BBS's and echonets! Sure, it's not private, but I don't
care - that's part of the appeal. :-)





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