HAMS and the Net

[sigord]

Have you noticed a strong reluctance especially among the long term older HAMs to embrace the Internet, some even to use of the Mobile phone? Some even adopt the very strange habit of refusing to use the PC Speakers, thus foolishly ignoring the fact that Windows constantly gives audible warnings of problems such as provided by anti-virus software. Can you imagine today’s youngsters with their endless love of noisy music, Videos, DVDs, iPods etc ever tolerating using such as a PC incapable of producing any sound?

Could it be due to the fact some HAMs are secretly jealous of the vast success of the net, emails, along with mobiles phones compared with the slowly dying Worldwide Amateur Radio ?

What do you think?

[M0TTB]

Have you noticed a strong reluctance especially among the long term older HAMs to embrace the Internet, some even to use of the Mobile phone? Some even adopt the very strange habit of refusing to use the PC Speakers, thus foolishly ignoring the fact that Windows constantly gives audible warnings of problems such as provided by anti-virus software. Can you imagine today’s youngsters with their endless love of noisy music, Videos, DVDs, iPods etc ever tolerating using such as a PC incapable of producing any sound?

Could it be due to the fact some HAMs are secretly jealous of the vast success of the net, emails, along with mobiles phones compared with the slowly dying Worldwide Amateur Radio ?

What do you think?

I'd strongly disagree with that premise. I would put money on the fact that if you took 1000 random callsigns of radio amateurs above the age of, say 65, there will be a far greater % of them very active and au fait with the internet/computers compared with 1000 over 65's from the general public.

However, maybe just my own perception, but I do tend to find a larger number of recently licensed elderly radio amateurs are perhaps a little less computer savvy than, say, G3's and G8's of similar ages.... who I suppose were more likely to have been involved in electronics all their lives, as opposed to someone from a cb radio background.

As for pc speakers, I'm 43 and rarely bother having them switched on

[m0bov]

I'm 32 and don't always bother with speakers most over 65 don't want to know the net cos they see it as hassle and don't really need it, as others say, if your over 65 and a ham your more likley to use the net I'd say.

[sigord]

Actually I am 76 and after over 50 years in Radio clubs only last year decided to obtain my beginners M3YXH licence, being on my own and mainly housebound. So I spend much of my time online such as running 3 web sites including that of our local radio Club.

Having used PCs for some 25 years I would never dream of taking any chances of missing audible warnings by not using speakers. Besides I love all sorts of Music, and every day receive audible Videos and Presentations from many friends as daily contributions for my sites.

Not being the sort who takes tests / exams just for the fun of it, I spend several hours while at this PC using a scanner to monitor all the local 2 m and 70 cm simplex channels along with 5 local repeaters. But sadly to say with the sorry state of activity at least in this area, I rarely hear a sensible QSO worth trying to be included. Many are obviously attempts to just use band to call and speak only one particular person like a mobile phone.