When I was fit and healthy, I gave quite a few talks to radio clubs in East Anglia. One thing is
very apparent: our hobby is mainly an interest of men and older men at that. Of course, there are the odd exceptions. In some clubs membership was good, whereas in others not so good.
What is very clear is that unless young blood is soon attracted and kept, our hobby/interest will die out within 20-30 years. I notice that this was a topic on the
Southgate News Page today. I don't think this is just a UK thing, although in the USA I see licence numbers are at an all time high.
Certainly, the pure magic of radio we experienced when my generation was young is no longer a draw: it is possible to Skype video across the globe instantly via the phone in your hand nowadays. In my youth, the only way to communicate around the world really was by amateur radio and for that you needed to pass the RAE.
No, we need to find what fascinates the younger generation and use that as a lure. It is the whole future of our interest that is at stake here. To me, radio is still magic, especially QRP. However I can see this is not a source of fascination to today's youngsters, to whom texting and mobile internet are second nature.
What would draw in and keep young people fascinated by our hobby today? I think the word "fascinated" is important. As a youngster, radio communications
fascinated me and has kept me interested for a lifetime. It is this fascination that is missing today I think.