HAM Radio Relevance Currently and Personal Reflections.

[John R Retired]

But back then, ships on the ocean were the only way you could travel around the world. That made them unique in that way.

 

[Martaine2005]

Yes they were unique. And people still do it today. That’s MY point.

Martin

 

[John R Retired]

They were the only way to travel around the world back then which made them unique. That's my point.

 

[Martaine2005]

AND your point is?



Martin

 

[John R Retired]

The same as your point only different.

 

[Martaine2005]

Lol

 

[kellys_eye]

That was my point. ..."Only Way". so if you wanted to communicate with someone in other parts of the world, you had to become a Ham. That is not true any more.

Being a pedant......

No, it never was - you didn't have to become a ham. Prior to radio communication people wrote letters. Then they had typewriters and the printing press. Scientists collaborated across the globe using hand writtten letters, Governments ran Empires the same way.

None of the 'old ways' have gone - you can still do this. In much the same way you can use a 2G phone on a 5G system. Backwards compatibility remains an essential facility and keeps things working and some (guilty) even think we're going to move BACKWARDS if any major conflict breaks out. I restored an antique SW radio just for such an occasion.

So, no one 'had' to become 'anything' to communicate across the globe - particularly a ham. It's a simple illustration of mankinds continual desire to advance and make life simpler as well as shrinking the world we live in. It was inevitably 'amateurs' that started it all too. Individuals with an idea - not a big business effort. All (well, most of) the great ideas came from amateurs/experimenters. Whether or not you are a fan of this is irrelevant as technology will ALWAYS advance - even if we have to start again from the stone age.

 

[John R Retired]

"No, it never was - you didn't have to become a ham. Prior to radio communication people wrote letters. Then they had typewriters and the printing press"

I was referring to "Instant", in the moment, voice to voice communication, not written correspondence.

 

[davenn]

OK this thread has gone round and round in circles long enough

tis now closed