Has anyone noticed how the bands are getting less and less active? Even after the total removal of the CW Mode testing things are still quite slow.
I operate mainly 20 meters, SSB, CW, Digital. And being retired can basically get
on whenever I want. But I usually get on in mid to late afternoons, and quit when
the band dies. Here lately it's been quite a bit later in the evening, basically
normal.
I've been a ham for 47 years. I have operated through several sunspot cycles and have been on the air from South East Asia, Pacific, Europe and several places in
the US.
What I'm getting at is that I have been active from various parts of the world for nearly 5 decades, so I think I can make these observations.
We may have the numbers, BUT we certainly don't have the on the air activity. Two meter FM is basically dead. From what I've read and heard it is all over the country. Any comments on why out there in cyber-space?
Yes I know sunspots make a big difference. However what normaly would happen is that everyone would be squeezed to the MUF part of the spectrum. I.E. 40 and 20
meters. However one can tune 20 meters and find massive areas of no signal. 40
is not much different. And CW is even less active.
I remember when it was nearly impossible to find a hole to squeeze into on 40 or 20
meter phone nearly anytime of the day. But it sure ain't like that now.
HOWEVER it is not a total matter of propagation. I also like to contest...have you ever noticed how active the bands are during a major contest? See my point?
Tell me....when I was first on the air, we had about 200K stations. Now were at what 900K? Uh where are they? Look at the latest on the Extra///where are they at?
Something is rotten here folks.
Yeah I know, conditions suck. But guess what? Put up a real antenna, you will work what you hear. Nothing changed here. Trying to work any distance at all on say, 20 phone, with a 100watt rig into a maybe resonant antenna is asking to be ignored.
I hate to tell ya but HF is NOT like 2m FM Repeaters.
What has changed in my opinion is the "ham spirit" has DIED. That's right, DIED. I hear very little talk of building anything any more. I hear lots of Extra's getting store bought antenna's and not having a clue on how to make a simple dipole. Build a rig? All I see is some QRP guys doing that. VHF/UHF weak signal? Nope...where are all the real hams these days? Have they all died out? Or have they gave up? I think it is the later. I do hear a lot of old time ham speak, you know like fixing, modifying, building equipment on the AM groups. WOW...what does that say, eh? I like that mode, to a point. Life is a bit short for 45 minute transmissions from one station in a group of 4 or more...hi hi. I do have some of that old stuff out in the barn...think I'll get it fired up.
In fact I have thought many times of dropping out myself. All that is keeping me
going is the fact that I love CW, I love ham radio, and being the eternal optimist I
keep hoping all will be better soon. But I know better.
Yes a lot of the depression about the service is the constant battles on the air. Yes we all KNOW about it ALL. What is the answer to end it? Probably either QRT or stay on CW. Which is a viable option for me.
Also it seems to be there is very little knowledge of the history of ham radio. You folks really need to catch up. HR is NOT CB. Stop trying to turn it into it.
Well enough of my ramblings.
See you on the bands.
Dan/W4NTI
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11 comments:
Dan,
I hear ya, it's been very quiet but I don't have the decades of experience, I only have a few months. I jumped in on a bad solor cycle and was blaming the lack of hearing on that.
I don't know if I agree that the Ham spirit is dead. I know I am working on some boat anchors I recently purchased. Neither works and I plan on fixing them myself. I am also home brewing much of what I'm using to tie my equipment together. I'm also mocking up my own stealth Dipole mast and wiring.
I know the spirit seems much less than it used to be but all of the Ham's I have met at the FRRL are home brew types as well.
I do agree that 2m is kaput, even the club repeater is dead 90% of the time. I am hoping that Amateur radio takes an upswing, I'm exited to be a Ham and hope to live up to what a Ham is supposed to be. Time will tell.
I don't believe you will get out, a true Ham has this in his blood, so you're stuck, no matter how pathetic the hobby seems to get.
To be honest, many people looking to get into the hobby aren't met with open arms, they are met with Ham's that are cold, uninviting and have a superiour attitude. Ham's with code (not all mind you) look down at no-code Ham's and a rift has/is forming in the Amateur ranks. This hobby needs to seek out new members and do so online, offline and stop treating (not you, in general) newbies like idiots. Many people go to forums like QRZ and see how the attitudes are there by many and see no reason to continue into the hobby.
Anyway, this could be a debate that could last for days. End of rant.
73,
Erik
KC9NRN
I think the big numbers don't reflect how many inactive hams there are. In the good ol' days, one had to maintain a certain level of ham activity, in his log book, to retain his license. Nowadays, you just have to keep renewing: you don't even have to own a transmitter.
Good point, these days things are being made easier and easier and are having the opposite affect of their intent. Look at our schools, many are dropping grades or lowering test score requirements.
This country is going to suffer for it, but hey, the teachers are happy. Ugh.
Dan if you seriously think you are an optimist then truly and without malice you either don't know yourself or the meaning of that word
I have noticed activity on 20 m does seem to be down a bit but them I rarely operate there
75 is fuller than ever 40 is pretty good and personaly I find I have better luck on 15 than 20 m
ham sprit isn't dying at all indeed if I were like you I d accuse you of "hating ham radio" ad talking it down as you do those that express much disagreement with YOU
if you don't like what you hear on SSB then by all meand GO QRT or at last stay out of the fight you are bemaoning
but please stop the whining
Funny how anonymous people always flap their mouth and opine but never use a name.
From the misspellings, the Anonymous commenter who told Dan to stop whining was none other than Mark Morgan, the Chassell Kook.
Yes, Mark's illiteracy shines through, much like how CW can get through the worse band conditions. Too bad Mark could never learn Morse code, He'd be a real ham then. (And yes, Mark, I'm a code tested Extra, 13 wpm due to the FCC changes of the requirements, you however, can't do 5 wpm.)
How could he ever hope to do cw when he can't even write? Mark is just like Karol, all mouth and hate and when you call them out they can't figure out why you complain about them.
Tune into 14.275 for an earful folks and you'll instantly understand.
Well Dan, I think many of us have become quite disillusioned with HR, due to the character (or lack of) of the people we come accross while operating.
Honestly, who wants to call CQ when your chances of being answered by people like Daugherty, Morgan, Trich, Madera, Oswald, Tolassi, and the many others like them who seem to pop-up on a daily basis is better than average?
These people and many like them, use HR as a vehicle too spread their demented agendas. Get into a QSO with one of them, and your chances of being slandered on the internet are about 90%.
Hell Dan, you know how it is, you can't even have a QSO on .275 without being QRM'ed and having your name slandered all over the internet.
So, in my opinion, that's the problem with HR, and it won't change until we successfully get rid of the riff-raff.
And yes, I am working on a daily basis to try and change it.
How can we get rid of the rif-raf then? Shall we give anyone who wants to take the test a mental evaluation test? Doubt that would fly, ACLU would take you to court.
How about let clubs handle the licensing, and let the new comer be mentored properly? Now there is a thought...gee...isn't that what USED to happen? Sure was and it worked well IMHO.
How about setting up a Ham Radio Defense league and issue out Wouff Hong and Retty Snitches, and be willing to use them? Now there is something to seriously consider.
Trouble is some folks seems to enjoy those sort of implements...hi.
I think the bottom line is this; Amateur Radio is a reflection of our society. And the society has got to Hotel in a Hand Basket. Don't believe me?
You old timers out there, would Tolassi, Daugherty, Morgan, Madera, etc. etc. ever lasted any time at all say in the early 60s and before? Of course not. Why do they get away with it now? Because of "Freedom of Speech" No, because everyone is suit happy and scared to crap that someone will sue them if they tick you off. And guess what? That is exactly what happens. So the Jerks keep at it, and get away with it.
Sounds to me like the system has broken down. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. It's not just a ham radio problem, it's a society problem. And no one seems to have the answer.
They get behind a microphone, hurl insults and insinuations at will and get away with it for decades and more. Then some other twit hears it and jumps on the bandwagon.
Sorta like the old West with the Hanging Judges and Vigilante Justice. Come to think of it, sounds good to me.
Dan/W4NTI
Re;Re;Anonymous said...
Totally agree....Years back none of this crap would be going on. And your right, if anyone was stupid enough to try it...well you know.
***
I know many who still use such archaic practices...My self included.
***
I do too, unfortunately we are all over the hill. Me included. But in our hay day....now where is that time machine when I need it? hi.
These loud mouth woosies get away with their crap because they really ain't worth going to jail over, and they know it. Like that idiot Tolassi.
He used to work on a fella called Fred Ruhl, well one day Fred drove his 18wheeler truck to his house and beat on his door. David could be heard begging for help on 14.313. Of course no one went to help, they all laughed at him.
For whatever reason Fred let David slide, his wife (who was with him) probably talked him out of it.
Did David learn anything? NOPE. This was over ten years ago. And he is STILL doing that crap.
What can I say?
Dan/W4NTI
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