Tradition Stinks
Let me hedge
a little on this issue. There is a place for tradition and it does have
value to our hobby. However I have noticed in the last couple of years
a certain resistance to change not based on the actual value of the change,
but based on the fact that it challenges tradition. I have some ideas on
why hams are being forced into this position. I'm also trying to
formulate some ideas to counter this trend.
Technology is moving right along at a dizzy pace. This dizzy unprecedented
pace has caused some changes in the relationship between ham radio and
technology.
Can hams be innovative? That is create new technology just ahead of "state
of the art" or "leading edge" to use some catch phrases. I think they can,
but the chances of this happening are less today then they were 20 years
ago and infinitely less than they were 75 years ago. Technical innovation
can no longer be considered as one of the bulwarks of ham radio's
reason for existence.
Can hams provide emergency communications? Well sure they can and do all
the time, but changes are happening. Local police and fire organizations
are being equipped with ever more sophisticated equipment, cell phones
are getting better and every moderate sized TV station has a mobile satellite
truck that can provide live TV coverage at the disaster area as quick as
they can drive there. In Operation Desert Storm mobile satellite kiosks
provided phone service to the troops. Pull the trailer to the site. Point
the dish. Start the generator and charge ten cents a minute! So would you
rather use a HF phone patch? You see where it's going, hams could be perceived
in the future (and maybe now) as being quaint or worse they could end up
being in the way.
More
later! I gotta work on my resume.