paulears wrote: ↑10 Nov 2019, 09:12
And that is what had wrecked ham radio. It's just too cheap for a serious hobby, so people try it and get bored where when it was expensive you needed to think, consider, research, learn and do things with it that justified the investment. Cheap entry trivialises everything. Amateur film makers have exactly the same issues. People get into it, do badly, get bored and leave blaming the hobby when it's the people! I love it when somebody buys a camera for 30 quid and complains when people don't like their poorly produced epic. One person uses a real four figure camera, four figure lenses and four figure grip kit and the person with a Chinese GoPro on a stick can't get the same result! Instantly, with no effort. YouTube is full of this rubbish!
I cannot agree with this. Low entry price must have exposed the hobby to a much wider range of people who may only have £500.00 a year to spend on a hobby instead of £3,000 a year. Does that get up the nose of some because it is less "exclusive" ? Sure the kit can make a big difference, but the main reason why some one gets bored or not or gives up in any activity in life is "can you be bothered" and will you push through challenges or not. Give a pro the same cheap camera and a new person and it stands to reason the pro will make the best job using low grade kit. The difference is experience.
Something seems to happen to people when they take their amateur licence. Not all to be fair, but some, they no longer want to chat with lowly CB'ers/ free banders. Let me put it out there, I could probably gain a second stage HAM licence with no training at a guess if I did the exams, right now. It is not rocket science but some people get all uppity and think they are a cut above. Also surely doing the HAM license compromises your cheeky 11m free banding, cause all your info is officially with OFCOM.
Another side of it is a lot of general radio engagement in society is on a down turn from listening to SW/MW and FM - DAB never quite took off like they wished. CB and free banding. The internet is seeing to that in the same way the high streets are failing. Another thing that puts a lot of people off CB and HAM radio is the conservative attitude, that's close to half the potentially interested participants put off already. The demographic has always been rather conservative that no one can deny.
You have to do what you enjoy and want in the end, it is all on a downwards trend and in this regard we are all in the same boat. All the more reason to respect all people you do speak with right now, differences are what make the world go round, whatever the band you favour. We should all do our best to be friendly and welcoming on air to sensible operators, that will keep those who
are bothered, into it for longer. Radio is not much without other people to speak with, we should think of that every time we go on air and only promote positivity on the air waves, CB and HAM alike.
