Despite the glowing reports (perhaps misleading) from the ARRL our hobby is in decline. So how would you fix that?
.jpg)
As the photo above suggests it is an absurdity to think of the subject matter and it is the same absurdity regarding the current lack of growth in our beloved hobby?
But first let us look at some data on worldwide ham licenses. But there is a Caveat here as station licenses do not translate to licensees. Many station licenses (which are in the count) are for clubs and groups and may have users who hold their own personal calls. So real behind the microphone nose counts are smaller numbers.
I found some data on licenses by country. Don't know the date of the review but the data appears in the range. No surprise -- Japan sits at the top of the pole.
Some of us have seen the bizarre solutions to address the lack of growth in the hobby from the "Nerds of Newington" like Incentive Licensing, Code Free examinations, the learn the answers to 20 questions and you are an Extra. Or the best promoting very expensive radios so that will attract offshore advertising and more hams.
Our hobby is a technical hobby whether it is scratch building a radio transceiver inside of a match box or programming an FPGA on the kitchen table -- it is technically based relying on creativity, the quest for the better mousetrap or just plain challenging one's own grey matter. It is not about contests or operating from a state park screaming CQ POTA into the microphone!
Our licensing system is broken, and we need to start there. We have an Olympic games analogy. Nowhere is there a competition where you run 20 feet in less than 5 seconds, and you get a Gold Medal! Well, that is essentially the Extra class license today.
A suggestion is to look at other countries and what do they do.
These countries seem to start with a foundational type of license where you actually have to know something before jumping to a higher-class license. In the US, thanks to the ARRL you can know nothing and be an instant Extra Class.
I am in favor of reducing the number of license classes to three. The first is a Foundational, the second is an Intermediate and the last is the Extra. No more technician class -- you get a license, and you can operate anywhere. You also must pass through each class before advancing to the next class. Sure, that will weed out many, but holding a driver's license does not qualify you as a NASCAR driver. The same with ham radio.
Our hobby will grow and prosper when there are challenge goals and an opportunity to be in a group that is recognized for their technical skills. Getting a ham license is more than filling out a box top as it now seems to be.
The current US ham population are typically older so in a short time horizon there will be a natural diminution of the ranks. Time is ripe to make this change, and it has to be an organization other than the ARRL leading the charge.
So, what would you do?
TYBNYGNT.
73's
Pete N6QW