Japan’s Yomiuri News reports that a ham renaissance may be at hand. In Japan as in the USA, the average age of amateur radio operators is in the early 60s. Young people are being attracted to radio and electronics in some of the makerspaces.
With eccentric people, their activity might be driven by the lunar cycle. With hams, it may well be the sunspot cycle. Sunspot cycle peaks make worldwide communication much easier with simpler equipment. A sociological analysis: Lemmings Over a Demographic Cliff? by Frank K4FMH
Hams get their weather reports from Dr. Tamatha Skov:
When enhanced solar activity gets the ionosphere excited, refraction of radio waves becomes more efficient so low power signals can get much further on multiple hops.
Software-defined radio has driven down the cost of shortwave and higher frequency radio receivers. Inexpensive SDR receivers are available from Nooelec for about USD $30. SDRPlay has a fine versatile receiver for about $200.
You don’t even have to pay anything to listen to the many radio receivers online worldwide:
The American Radio Relay League website and publications has information about become a ham radio operator, radio communications and electronics.
The Chinese Radio Amateurs Club 中国无线电协会业余无线电分会 serves thousands of Chinese ham radio operators.
Ham radio can be a fun hands-on introduction to electronics. Some hams are electronics engineers or technicians who are often generous with their time giving free ‘consulting’ to younger hams. For a list of some radio-related electronic kits to get started see Ham Radio Kits: Double Your Pleasure! There are just an endless number of topics to geek out about such as antennas — the key part of any radio station: see for example Antenna Myths by US amateur radio operator Alan R. Applegate KØBG from his blog.
A good source of advice on radios if you want to buy something used are the reviews on eham.com
Ham radio has shown up in literature sometimes — the Chinese science fiction novel We Live in Nanjing 《我们生活在南京》 features the son of a ham making a contact thirty years in the future. Tony Hancock’s The Radio Ham makes good fun of ham old timers.
The Soldersmoke blog and podcast can give you some insights into the passions of later-day hams. Fun and you can learn a lot just listening…
Signs of a resurgence in the popularity of amateur radio, the king of hobbies…Senior citizens are resuming their interest, and the younger generation is also becoming more interested.
12:10, 12/01/2023 Yomiuri Shimbun
趣味の王様「アマチュア無線」人気復活の兆し…シニア世代が再開、若い世代の関心も高まる
2023/12/01 12:10
by Yukako Oishi, Yomiuri Shimbun Life Department)
In front of his favorite radio, Mr. Yokota says, “I was nervous at first, but after about a month I got the hang of communicating.
Amateur radio, known as the “king of hobbies,” is a form of radio communication among licensed radio operators. The number of amateur radio enthusiasts has been declining due to the spread of cell phones, but there are signs of a recovery in popularity. In an age when we can connect with people anytime via smartphones and social networking services, why is this?
The first person we visited was Hideo Yanagisawa, 70, a journalist with over 50 years of radio experience. Mr. Yanagisawa, who is also the anchor of TV Asahi’s news program “Saturday Station,” told us that “with radio, your location becomes a broadcasting station and you can talk with people overseas.
His current passion is making microwave radios. He collects various parts from a single screw on up and breathes life into them. I check the weather and go to the mountains to test the radio I’ve made. I enjoy the process.
Mr. Yanagisawa said he often hears the greeting over the radio, “I’m back after a long absence. Apparently, former enthusiasts are returning.
According to the Japan Amateur Radio League, the number of members peaked at about 194,000 in 1994. The number decreased due to the spread of cell phones and other factors, but in 2021, there were 65,788 members, up 574 from the previous year, the first increase in 27 years. The increase is the first in 27 years, and it is believed that those who were young people in the 1990s are returning as they are now around 60 years old and have more time on their hands. Some have resumed the hobby as a hobby that can be done at home due to the COVID disaster. This year, the number decreased slightly, but is still higher than before the COVID disaster, at 65,918.
Katsuhiko Yokota, 62, a used car salesman in Kanagawa Prefecture, also resumed his hobby after a 30-year blank. After getting married, he had stayed away from the hobby, saying, “It is difficult to continue a hobby in which I am immersed alone with a machine.” Two years ago, he was contacted by a former colleague who said he would resume the hobby now that he was retired and had more time. As he heard about the latest radio equipment, his motivation was rekindled. He says, “I like the uncertainty of the connection. I like the uncertainty.
Many women are resuming radio play after they have finished raising their children,” said Masako Tsukahara, 62, of the JLRS, a women’s radio enthusiasts’ club. I miss it. I recognized you by your voice.
Koji Morita, 68, president of the Japan Amateur Radio League, explains the reason for the large number of comebacks: “The license is basically valid for life, so it is easy to resume radio operation even after quitting once,” he says. However, more than 70% of the members are over 60 years old, and the average age is 65.6. The license is useful as a means of communication in times of disaster and as a gateway to science and technology,” he said. If we can broaden the base of enthusiasts, we will be able to ……”
As if in response to this expectation, interest in wireless technology is growing among university students. In 2004, Waseda University and Tokyo Gakugei University, and in 2006, Kyushu Institute of Technology revived wireless clubs that had been inactive. The generation of digital natives say, “Smartphones are the superior means of communication, but that is not what is good about wireless communication.
Kento Habe, 22, a senior at Waseda University, said, “The mechanisms of digital devices such as smartphones are like a black box, but with wireless communication, you can operate them with an understanding of how they work. Yuyu Sogo, 21, a junior at Kyushu Institute of Technology, said, “Communication is a once-in-a-lifetime encounter, and there is warmth in the human voice.
As background, Hiroyuki Hayashi of Nomura Research Institute, Ltd. cites “inconvenience benefit” as a key word. He analyzes that in today’s world, where efficiency is emphasized, “people may enjoy the process of trial and error until they get it right, even if it seems troublesome at first glance. He added, “There is a deadly aspect to online social networking services, such as flame wars. Some people feel stressed by the fact that they are always connected to someone. With radio, you can communicate at your own pace and have a sense of camaraderie in sharing a hobby that has few enthusiasts,” he said.
Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) is working to promote amateur radio as a means of training future engineers. In March, the Ministry amended the Enforcement Regulations of the Radio Law to relax the conditions under which non-licensees can experience radio communication under the supervision of a license holder.
On October 22, the reporter also attended an event at CQ Publications (Tokyo), which publishes a radio magazine. An official with a license and willing to be present radioed, “CQ? Is there anyone I can talk to?” and enthusiasts in Akihabara, Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture immediately responded.
The reporter’s faltering throw in his radio debut was, “How are you spending your day? Go ahead. After a beat, he replied, “Okay. In the morning, I went shopping for groceries. The weather is nice, and I’m doing radio work in the afternoon. Please come in. I was happy!
On the radio, he naturally spoke politely and listened carefully to the other party’s voice. The slower tempo of the exchanges was refreshingly friendly.
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