New FCC License Stats

[2M Guy]

I can hear almost as far on 11M as I can on 2M. No comparison.

As far as the internet goes, it should aid amature radio. If not for the web, I probably wouldn't have taken my test. Websites like this, QRZ, and others gave me information I wouldn't have had access to otherwise. Bought most of my radio stuff off of the net. Found out where to test from the net. Best thing to happen to radio since Marconi LOL

 

[jonbah]

Things change, a hundred and fifty years ago we walked, rode horses and burned wood for heat. Look at us now, scarey huh!

 

[KingCobra_CDX882]

well 222 band is always less crouded..(doing ok by me)
2 meters is doing ok..
but 70cm band far more people and repeaters on..
(in metro ny/nj area anyways)

nearly no one on frequency's beyond 70cm bands

but yes..
look at the numbers and no dening ham radio is dying..

i think the dropping of code altogether as well as a return to more active skip in upcoming cycle...will increase ham operators as well as cb users..

there is however less and less need to depend on ham operators as time goes on...for newer technologys make us less needed in a emergency..

Later

 

[broncoman529]

I think there is quite a bit of cb going on.

I agree with Sonwatcher, I think CB is getting very popular again. I don't think CB it will ever hit the popularity it had in the 70's, But the demand for radios is climbing. If you look at ebaY and try to bid on any type of radio, Chances are you will be out bid. Radios on ebaY are also fetching lot's of money, When was the last time you spent a good amount of money on a radio and didn't use it? We hear new people on the radio here in Connecticut almost everyday. The skip has not been running as much in the past few months here, But when it does there is tons and tons of people talking from all over the place and sometimes the band is so clogged with people it is hard to pick just one to talk to. I do think that Amatuer Radio is dieing a slow death, Every ham that I know has come back to CB to talk because Ham radio has gotten very boring since it is always the same conversations from the same people with no new blood being added to the mix. It also does not help that most Amatuer Radio rigs are out of reach for most people because of the price. Try buying an all-mode rig of any kind for under $500.00, Then try buying a multi-band all-mode rig for under $1000.00. The antennas are not cheap either, So there is a lot of things stacked against Ham radio as a whole. I am an Amatuer and at this point I enjoy Citizen Band Radio since there is a ton of different people who have many different things to talk about. On average in my area we have at least 7 people engaged in conversation at once, All of us have also become good friends.

Thanks for listening,