Ham Radio is it DEAD in 2019?

[VK7HH]

Is Ham Radio a relevant hobby? Or is Amateur Radio obsolete and dead now with the many different methods of communication available to us in 2019? In this video I explore how we can promote and reinvigorate our hobby.

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ERfLGXQBH8]

[VK4ADC]

Hayden

You made some interesting comments in the video. I was aware of the Last Man Standing crew and Tim Taylor's amateur status but hadn't heard about the http://hamradio.world/ web site.  It is good to see the Lea family taking on the AR scene so wholeheartedly.  

I  know there are some at least some families in Australia where there are multiple children already holding licences but we don't see or hear much about them.  I just hope they maintain interest as they grow older - unlike my teenage F-call grandson who has declining interest at the moment. I hope that will turn around but cars (plus girls) become significant competition around his present age.

I agree that there needs to be a lot of effort put into AR promotion activities in the public arena but I suspect that either we aren't made aware of the process and outcome - or it is simply not happening as much as it could / should.

Sorry but I don't subscribe to YouTube channels at all and barely ever access Facebook.  I guess typical of at least part of the older generation !   You will just have to keep "plugging them" on this Forum..

Doug VK4ADC

[VK7HH]

Thanks Doug. Yes it's good what is being done in the US. We need to take a leaf out of their book.

Without ruffling to many feathers, things have probably been done in the same way for a long time... which does not contribute to growth or the betterment of the hobby.

OK on the subscriptions etc. Unfortunately YouTube is all about subscribers... oh and comments/likes. I need more. I will keep posting to the forums because as I mentioned, they are a good source of retention.

[VK2CSW]

Well it's not quite dead at my place, but boy, it's lingering on life-support with one finger on the power switch...

Noise and interference, it's all I've got.

Our very good friends at NBNCo, who are causing substantial interference, aren't remotely interested in helping and I've grown tired of fighting the good fight.

[VK7HH]

Hey Colin.
I'd be interested in what interference detection steps you have taken. I know how frustrating it can be.

Is it FTTN that's causing the issues? I have that here and it seems okay, at least on 6 metres and above.

Hayden

[VK2CSW]

Hi Hayden,

The interference sources are wide and many    (Life in a modern city I guess).

The NBN related interference is coming from the FTTC NDC (in the house) and/or DPU (on the pole outside).

It is triggered by pretty much any HF signal and stays there until the NDC is powered down (which also powers down the DPU).

I've recabled, added a "VDSL Central Filter" but comes down to the HF being leaked from the NBN kit.  Below is a screen grab from WSJT-X.  Ignore most of the annotations as they were for the geniuses at NBNCo.


   

[VK3IH]

I currently am lucky enough to live in a zero interferance location - unless you get too close to the NBN Fixed Wireless antenna (that I had modified by NBN to reduce interferance - which largely worked - it was bad out to 100m now its just the house plus 5m).

Perhaps we will just have to operate in quiet locations? Or on HF use rx only antennas. I hear so many stations in cities complaining about noise on their TX antennas who have never tried a seperate antenna system. I try to encourage but few take up the suggestions -what's the answer?

[VK5TM]

....what's the answer?

Noise Canceller perhaps?

https://www.vk5tm.com/homebrew/noisecanc...cancel.php

[VK4ADC]

Talk about stealing ... diverting ... a topic.  Well, is it dead or not ?? No, not in my mind and a reasonable percentage of 740K-odd USA amateurs can probably agree with that too.  What it is doing is morphing a little. More digital, less voice, but once the solar cycle starts providing better conditions then things may swing back.  Hopefully!

All of the comments / discussion re NBN and QRM really should have been posted in a new thread.. or an existing one about NBN issues.

[VK2KRR]

Although Doug, QRM does play a big role in some instances as to why people dont get on the air, its because they cant hear anything. Its a major issue.
But yes, further dedicated discussion around NBN noises would be good on its own thread I'd say.

[VK5PJ]

I look at the 'hobby' and wonder if anyone will be on air when I retire from full time work (7 years to go).  the VHF/UHF numbers are thin and show no sign of increasing no matter what good work is done by clubs around VK, sorry to bring a sad note to the thread but I guess EME will be one of the few ways to get a QSO after I retire..

Still no real progress on my shack rebuilding, lots of 'words' have been spoken but the shack is still a bomb site.  I keep getting promised 'this week' but that's wearing thin now.

Peter vk5pj