G4NSJ - What happened to amateur radio? Where is everyone? Where is the ionosphere?

Comments · 984

• KE

  @kennethcrandall8131 · 3 months ago

  Where is everybody?  I'd guess they're either dead or watching youtube videos on the death of ham radio!

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• PH

  @philipreece-hall8450 · 3 months ago

  Digital modes have become so popular that less voices are heard now.

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• MI

  @michaelmiller641 · 3 months ago

  Hi Ray! G3ZZO here, who hasn’t been on the air for literally years!    I think the trouble is, we’re all doing what I’m doing now, and that is, watching you on a very interesting video, instead of listening to to you and communicating with you on 40  metres!   And , besides, I’ve got the hobby that I always revert to since I was 4 in 1954! Model railways! Keep up these interesting videos ! And feel free to rant on!

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• AC

  @acestudioscouk-Ace-G0ACE · 3 months ago

  Good video Ray! I think it's a combination of the factors you listed. Poor propagation conditions, too much noise, too much power combined with poor antennas probably make some give up but the biggest factor is that amateur radio has become an old man's hobby. Those old men are dying and there isn't a significant influx of youth to replace them. 73, Ace, G0ACE

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• RE

  @revoxjazz · 3 months ago

  As nothing else would be expected, I bet that most people preferred and still prefer the supposed convenience of the web, instead of dedicating themselves to radio frequency. <br>I honestly regret that things are like this, when there are no real reasons to almost abandon the amateur radio activity. <br>I&apos;m not a radio amateur in the truest sense of the term (because I&apos;m not trained, limiting myself to 11 meters) but I&apos;ve always supported amateur radio. <br>After so many years, I am sad to see the partial disinterest of operators I knew, who simply stopped being interested in the more educational activity in the radio spectrum. <br>Fortunately, there are still those who remain active, waiting for an opportunity. <br>I wish you good health, Ray. <br>And thank you for everything you have raised with your interventions on YouTube. <br> <br>Macedo Pinto <br>Portugal

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• JO

  @johnrees44..G4EIJ · 8 days ago

  Hi Ray..Another old timer here, and love your vids, rant or otherwise, and I usually find that you are eloquently putting into words what I (and I&apos;m sure many other &apos;old timers&apos;)are thinking. Sad to think that when our generation is gone, nobody will remember those &apos;heady days&apos; of working the world on a few Watts and a wire, when you never heard anybody say &apos;noise floor&apos;😢<br>Keep them coming, Ray..73..John..G4EIJ

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• RG

  @RGD-Radio · 3 months ago (edited)

  40 meter band has been brilliant for me, in Cambridgeshire...<br>Got a contact in the Netherlands a couple nights ago, 5w QRP, with my Xiegu G106..<br>On a home made Inverted V, made from ebay cheap speaker wire...<br>2m / 70cm has been dead for a couple of months now though..<br>My local repeaters are GB3PI, GB3PY, GB3OV, GB3KL, GB3KY and my local one GB3EL..... Always dead...<br>In regards to power... Im sorry, But NO ONE needs 1kw.. <br>Im on foundation licence, so limited to 25w... And i have worked many countries on 25w or less...<br>Its all about the antenna!

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• 10

  @101jumpit · 3 months ago

  Stayed with you till the end Ray,and i couldn&apos;t agree more.I&apos;m stuck in the past too.☺

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• IA

  @ianthomson4609 · 3 months ago

  I’m a veteran of the Cold War operating Larkspur and Clansman radios. The modus operandi for us then was to communicate using the least amount of power possible and I enjoyed the challenge with proper antenna siting and a bit of skill required to fettle the equipment. There was always the Soviet Bear sited on the Brocken in the Hartz mountains listening in to our transmissions and reduced power was one way to reduce the threat of Ivan and his mates intelligence gathering. With the increase to 1000W, I’m afraid my interest in amateur radio has waned somewhat. Try QRP and you just get stomped on by someone working Inter-G down the road on 1000W. Haven’t switched my transceiver on for months now - I get more enjoyment trying to breathe new life into old military and valve equipment. 73

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• JO

  @johnpawlicki1184 · 3 months ago

  Here in the US as well. &nbsp;I think everyone is on 20M FT8. &nbsp;Sometimes I think my receiver is dead.

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• JO

  @JohnnySmith-on8oe · 3 months ago

  It is not just amateur radio. I am a HAM and also a two way radio dealer. Whatsapp, Zello and PTT (cellular based) radios are killing the hobby and the business.

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• JO

  @Johnrscotter · 3 months ago

  The sun has been wiping out the bands on and off for months now. So I think most of us have gone off the hobby when everytime I go on my rig the sun has wiped out the bands. If it’s not that it’s s9+ qrm from solar panels. &nbsp;Great to hear the moan. 73’s John GM0MST.

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