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VK2XB > FUTURE 24.03.08 01:44l 131 Lines 5450 Bytes #999 (0) @ VKNET
BID : 2105_VK2XB
Read: GUEST
Subj: Poor Old Prof Julius Sumner-Miller
Path: ON0AR<F4BWT<YO6PLB<CX2SA<VE2PKT<VK2DOT<VK2TV<VK2XB
Sent: 080323/2358Z @:VK2XB.#RIV.NSW.AUS.OC #:2105 [Hay, QF25KL] $:2105_VK2XB
From: VK2XB@VK2XB.#RIV.NSW.AUS.OC
To : FUTURE@VKNET
GerDay Ray & All,
VK2TV wrote:-
> I haven't see that pamphlet; it sounds good.
Graphically, it is excellent. I still have a half dozen laying around in
my laptop bag that I was gonna hand out to all and sundry. The trouble is
all and sundry got to the scientist bit, made comments like "this will be
too tough" or "Nah! Leave that to the geeks!" and we lost them. Up until
then, on every occasion, I had the hook in the water, baited up, the fish
was sucking on the bait and all that had to happen was set the hook.
> It really is a fact that apart from building an antenna and associated bits
> and pieces, most (I didn't say all) AR today is very non-technical plug &
> play.
Even the most technical of us probably only ever CONVERTS commercial gear,
build power supplies, antenna couplers (I hate the expression ATU because
they don't "tune" anything - just B/S to the radio) and the like.
Even if I had the knowhow (and I freely admit I don't, as you know, Ray),
why the hell would I build any transceiver from scratch when smaller,
better, more reliable and cheaper gear can be purchased right out of the
shop for bugger all? My time is money, these days and what time I have at
home necessarily must be on projects I can handle easily. Beyond that, in
my case, the lives of the public are at risk if I do NOT get adequate
"downtime".
Sheesh, if I became involved with a complicated project, I would have to
leave it part way through, come back in a week and have to spend half the
time (that I just do NOT have) reassessing where I was up to!
My lifestyle may be different, but I am not so different from the
"average" ham out here these days - whatever average is!
Another huge snip.
> It's a very changed world from when many of us got our licence. That was in
> an era when international communications meant booking an overseas
> telephone call and then tollerating a hopeless trunk connection, or seeing
> the Movietone News at the flicks on Saturday.
Indeed it is changed. There's no use lamenting the changes, praising them
or whatever. What IS just IS. That's it. We just need to modify our
marketing to suit TODAY'S "market", where we are in heavy competition with
all these other avenues available for the precious recreational time that
people have available.
Another SNIP
> In the absence of technically inclined kids, we have to first get them
> involved and then work on the technical side.
>
> You teach kids at school, but first you have to get them into the class.
The same applies to adults. Ray. You've known me an awefully long time.
I have NEVER made claims to being anything but a truckie who enjoys to
have a yarn and play radio. The technocrat I am not, however, sometimes
with help and sometimes without, I have involved myself in areas far
removed from just "having a yarn". The IRLP node here is one example.
There are many others that I won't go into. Suffice to say that the
influence of blokes like yourself, Don VK2ZCZ, Bob VK2ZAR, John VK5BUI and
a host of others have guided me into more technological areas, to the
extent that I am actually mentoring others. (Many would say it's a sad
world when Indy mentors!!!!!)
I am proof of your above statement.
> D-Star is being pushed as the greatest thing since sliced bread. There's
> shades of deja vu here, isn't that what we said about packet in 1983? And
> where are those packet operators now?
Awwwwwwwwww. I have no issue with D-Star, nor, really, with the money
being spent on it. My comment is more that we spend money THERE but seem
to forget that you have to recruit new users to use the damned thing into
the future.
To my way of thinking, we haven't EFFECTIVELY recruited in an awefully
long time, because we are using immediate post WW2 methods in a rapidly
changing world, peopled by those with rapidly changing needs and outlooks.
I contend that, as a group, we have failed in our duty to the hobby's
future. We continually either preaching to the converted (at our OWN
radio field days), or we preach to those whom we will NEVER entice, partly
due to our methods and partly due to the fact that we select the wrong
targets!!!!!!
In any case, I have to get ready for work (darned 4 letter word) and I
have rabbited on way too much on this, given that there's only ye three,
thee and me that are going to read this. There's no hope in the world
that a handful of packet messages will change the thinking of the group at
large - more's the pity.
It's just kind of sad because I see myself (meaning my "group of hams in
age and longivity in the hobby") as having a baton covered in pig fat, on
a wet day thrown 10 foot away from where we can possibly catch it.
Without people we just will no longer even HAVE a hobby, irrespective of
how many flash facilities we have in service in the cities. Meanwhile,
the bush starves for services, but THAT, my friends, is the subject to
upcoming packet bulletins!!!!!!!!!!!! <Grin>
Kindest Regards
Kindest Regards
Indy, VK2XB @ VK2XB.#RIV.NSW.AUS.OC
Message timed: 10:57 on 2008-Mar-24
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Email Address 1: indy@six.net.au
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Ozhamtruckies Web Site: http://www.ozhamtruckies.net
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