That Demographic Problem

It sure is nice to have company, especially for the holidays.

Enough talking about our demographic problem: it is too depressing.

This thread is for documenting (gossiping about) The Other Hobby's demographic problem ...

... whatever that hobby might be.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey (who really enjoys Don's it was always an old guy's hobby posts)

Enough of the millennials, WE are the majority now!


Don

My first thought was, "Does that guy have a bunch of postcards from all over the world from his buddies?"

Possibly, he may be a stamp collector too, but more than likely he has all kinds of QSL cards from everyone he has communicated with.

And from the picture he did it old school, and newer with a key for morse code and microphone by long and shortwave via Amplitude and Frequency Modulation. Nice linear amplifiers. Wish I had one of those in my CB Radio days when I was chasing skip from USA, Poland and Greenland.

For those who may be interested, here is the information that goes with the Dec. 2019 QST cover photo that IkeyPikey posted.

"Our Cover. As the end-of-year holiday season approaches, many of us become sentimental, with thoughts turning to the time we've enjoyed on the air. Here, QST's own "Doctor," Joel Hallas, W1ZR, has stopped in at W1AW, the Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station at ARRL Headquarters, to send good wishes to ham friends near and far. Speaking of which, check out the new "Celebrating Our Legacy" column on page 99 of this issue. It features hams' reminiscences of their on-air friends, mentors, and their early days in Amateur Radio. Season's Greetings to our members, from all of us at QST. We'll see you in 2020!"

'
Q/ No suggestions that ARRL members give kids their spare vacuum tubes to interest them in the hobby ?

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

I didn't think about that...but it is sure a good idea.

It worked for me when I was a kid. I developed a number of interests that have served me well through life due to the generosity of several mentors, amateur radio being one and stamp collecting being another.

I was just a mere shortwave listener, but I still have my old Drake SW-4A receiver on my bookshelf. Back in the mid 60s, I loved to stay up all night and scan the airwaves for hams. Nothing like listening from California to conversations from the Mid West in the middle of winter. Makes me want to go dig up all my old QSL cards from back then.

My cousin is a ham radio operator, or at least used to be. It's not something I've ever done, but I bought a couple of QSL cards featuring the Japanese pop trio Candies at WESTPEX in 2015: