How many times do you hear the comment “ham radio…do people still do that?” followed by the statement that “surely the internet has made ham radio obsolete.” For the most part, that misses the point about the use and attractiveness of amateur radio.
And yes, that is a click bait headline.
I’ve written before that Amateur Radio Is Not for Talking and that the Universal Purpose of Ham Radio is to have fun messing around with radios. One significant statistic is that the number of FCC amateur radio licensees remain at an all time high. Eventually, the demographics will likely catch up with us and this number will start to decline, but it hasn’t happened yet.
The internet has become a tool that is used to complement amateur radio, often in ways that we may not have predicted. Although there are plenty of “keep the internet out of amateur radio” folks in the hobby, there are many more that have found clever ways to make use of the internet. I view emerging technologies and technological innovation as unstoppable forces that will impact us whether we try to ignore them or not. Using that lens, let’s examine the impact of the internet on amateur radio.
Here are a few broad categories of impact:
1. Communication Pipe
The internet is often used to provide an additional mechanism for transporting ham radio communications. Obvious examples are VoIP systems such as EchoLink and IRLP. Also included in this category are digital voice systems that use the internet to connect radios together: D-STAR, Yaesu System Fusion, Brandmeister Network, DMR-MARC Network. WinLink is a global email system using ham radio. The core transport technology is the Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP) which is not limited to the public internet. Some ham radio organizations are implementing IP links using microwave gear on the amateur radio bands so they are independent of the internet.
Another application in this category is remote operation of ham stations. That is, use an internet connection to control a ham station at another location. Sometimes people refer to this as the Long Microphone Cord Model (or maybe I just made that up). Hams do this with their own private stations but there are also shared stations established by radio clubs and commercial vendors (see Remote Ham Radio). With community restrictions on external antennas being very common, having a remote station available is very attractive.
This has turned out to be quite disruptive because so much of ham radio operating depends on your location, which is generally determined by the location of the transmitter. But now you can have a person sitting in downtown Denver operating a transmitter that is in Fiji. Kind of confuses things a bit. Regulatory issues also come into play: that transmitter in Fiji is going to fall under Fiji regulation which usually means needing an amateur radio license issued by the local government. The day is coming when a DXpedition to a remote island will consist of a helicopter delivery of a remote radio box (with satellite link and self-deploying HF antenna) that is operated by someone sitting at home using their smartphone.
2. Reporting and Coordination
Ham radio operators also use the internet for spotting and reporting purposes. Spotting has been around for a long time, which basically means letting other hams know that a particular station is on the air and can be worked from a particular location. Hams have done this without the internet but the internet certainly allows for more efficiency. Or at least a lot more spots. DX Maps is a good example of a spotting web site that supports lists and mapping of spots.
Radio hams also use the internet for coordinating radio contacts. One of the most extreme examples is the use of pingjockey for arranging meteor scatter communications. Typically, two hams will connect on pingjockey and agree to try a meteor contact on a specific frequency, with specific timing, etc. This technique is easy to abuse, either intentionally or via sloppy operating habits, because you can inadvertently share the radio contact information via the internet. However, properly used, pingjockey is a wonderful tool that promotes meteor scatter operating. ON4KST operates an amateur radio chat website that enables a wide variety of online communication and coordination between hams.
The Reverse Beacon Network (RBN) is a network of radio receivers listening to the amateur bands and reporting what stations they hear. These stations are often referred to as CW Skimmers because they skim the CW information from the received signals. RBN began with decoding CW but now also supports RTTY. There’s no fundamental reason it couldn’t be extended to other modes, even voice modes, with sufficient computing power.
PSK Reporter is a similar reporting system which accumulates signal reports from HF digital stations. As the name implies, it was first focused on PSK31 but has expanded to include other digital modes.
3. Logging and Confirmations
For decades, hams have been keeping their radio logs using a wide range of software that is available. This is a handy way of keeping track of radio contacts and tracking progress towards operating awards. More recently, online systems have been developed to allow radio contacts to be confirmed electronically. That is, instead of exchanging QSL cards as confirmation of a radio contact, both hams submit their log information to a central server that records the radio contact. The ARRL offers the Logbook of The World (LoTW) which supports these awards: DXCC, WAS, VUCC and CQ WPX. The eQSL web site was the first online QSL site, offering electronic QSL card delivery and its own set of operating awards. Club Log is another online electronic logging system. The popular qrz.com web site has added a logbook feature to its set of features.
Electronic confirmation of radio contacts is a huge improvement for ham radio. While many of us still enjoy getting a paper QSL card, collecting QSLs for awards is a royal pain. Mailing QSL cards is expensive, takes time and often involves long delays.
Impact on Amateur Radio
Here’s my analysis of the situation: Categories 2 and 3 mostly represent a net positive influence on amateur radio. These are straight up information age applications that provide useful and quick updates about radio propagation and radio contacts. Yes, there is some downside in that many hams become dependent on them instead of doing it the old fashioned way: turn the big knob on the radio and listen. Not a big deal given the benefits.
Category 1 is more of an issue for me. The major effect is that it enables worldwide communication a lot easier while using ham radio. This is what causes many hams to say That’s Not Real Ham Radio when the internet is used to do so much of the work. Focusing on the actual radio wave propagation, there is really no comparison between working DX on the 15m band and making the same QSO with a UHF DMR handheld piped through the internet. At this point, I try not to overthink the issue, dropping back to The Universal Purpose of Amateur Radio is to Have Fun Messing Around with Radios. So if chasing DX on 15m floats your boat, keep on doing it. If the DMR handheld provides enjoyment for you, I’m OK with that, too.
Perhaps more importantly, we can’t really stop the impact of new technology. Oh, I suppose the amateur radio community could petition the FCC to restrict Category 1 use of ham radio. There could be regulations that limit the use of the internet being interconnected with Part 97 radio operation. However, that would have an even bigger negative impact on the hobby by arbitrarily restricting innovation. Imagine if we had to tell technically-minded newbies in the hobby that “well, we have this rule that says you can’t actually use the biggest technology shift in the 21st century” while using ham radio. We do have some rules concerning awards and contests such as you can’t use a VoIP network to qualify for DXCC. There will probably be more of that kind of restriction occurring as technology moves forward, which is fine by me.
What’s Next?
When it comes to technological change, it’s often difficult to predict the future. Some of it is obvious: we’ll see higher bandwidths and more wireless coverage on the planet as 5G and other future technologies roll out. Figuring out how this affects ham radio is a bit more difficult. Right now, there are still remote locations that aren’t on the network but that will change. I expect even remote DXpeditions to eventually have excellent connectivity which could lead to instant check QSLs. (That’s kind of happening already but it could become more of a realtime event.)
As systems become smarter (e.g., machine learning, artificial intelligence), distributed systems will become more automated. We can expect more automation of ham radio activity which will certainly be controversial. Did you really work that other station if the software in your home ham station made the contact while you were away at work?
To wrap up, I don’t think the internet is destroying amateur radio but it is certainly changing it. The key is to keep having fun and enjoying the hobby. If you aren’t having fun, you probably aren’t doing it right.
What do you think?
73, Bob K0NR
I agree that the internet is hurting amateur radio, but not in the ways written in the article.
Outside of a couple of the larger hamfests, nearly all other hamfests have either completely stopped or have less than half the attendance of just a few years ago.
The same comments (regarding why travel to buy a radio when one can be shipped to you from China?) are heard over and over again from new hams (the same ones that don’t even understand what a PL tone is or how to set it on their new radio).
Unfortunately that causes the various ham radio vendors (not just the manufacturers) to evaluate their financial return (on the costs to attend the smaller shows), which further reduces attendance when many of the vendors simply quit coming (or go out of business when the ham community abandons them for internet based business).
Unfortunately AES won’t be the last store or chain to close due to the internet.
Craig,
Good points. I see two issues in your comment: 1) the viability of hamfests and 2) online vs brick-and-mortar sales. I think the attractiveness/viability of hamfests is way more than just buying stuff as hams attend these events for other reasons (educational opportunities, VE sessions, meet other people, etc.). Any hamfest that is only about buying will tend to suffer. The second issue is one playing out in many or all markets with companies like Amazon impacting traditional stores. As someone that likes to buy online, I am probably contributing to the problem. Local stores need to offer something beyond price (many do) or they’ll struggle to stay alive.
Bob K0NR
Bob,
Those of us that qualify for QCWA membership (both of us I’m sure), have completely different backgrounds within ham radio than 99% of the newcomers.
Due primarily to today’s open-book like entry into the hobby (and no, I’m not against new folks coming into the hobby or adding new technology to existing technology, far from it), folks can simply memorize answers to questions they don’t understand and walk out licensed that same day.
The problem is that most of them have no idea of even the most basic correct on-air procedures and have near zero technical skills, which mentoring used to teach.
In today’s internet based market, they look for the lowest priced product on Amazon or e-Bay, without ever knowing if the products they intend to purchase even come close to meeting FCC standards for type acceptance (and in many cases, what type acceptance even means).
Good luck finding anyone on Amazon or e-Bay that can explain to them the differences on one product vs. another – that doesn’t exist.
Perhaps your local hamfests are different than those I attend around the southwest, but most of the training sessions have the same 5-10 folks attending at best.
You are correct that many clubs make the mistake of very poor marketing, which may explain why so many of the clubs think of their hamfest as primarily a social event to be shared between club members (instead of opportunities to attract new folks into the hobby and pairing them up with local clubs that will help mentor them).
One of the main purposes of this hobby used to be to help establish a trained pool of nationwide operators to be able to assist when our country needed them. That pool of trained operators gets smaller ever year, yet the overall number of licensed hams grow.
Every year during the week long Quartzfest event in January, they hold a 4WD event where it’s announced days in advance the frequency will be 146.000 simplex with no tone, yet every year for the past 5-6 years we have to wait 45 minutes to an hour before the ride can start.
Why is that, you ask? So the “old-timers” can walk down the line of 40-50 off-road vehicles and manually program the mobile radios the Techs, Generals, and even Extra Class hams have installed in their vehicles (sometimes years ago), but never once learned how their radios actually work. Sadly, that list includes a few Canadian hams as well.
I wish it weren’t true, but it’s the same pattern year after year (including helping them reset their radios back to their programmed pre-ride state after the 4WD ride has finished).
I’m the first to brag that ham radio is both a wonderful and varied hobby, and you certainly can’t be an expert in every aspect of it, but we used to have certain minimum standards for entrance into this hobby, and that’s all been pushed aside to allow manufacturer’s to sell more of their wares, just as the internet’s massive volume has convinced many new hams that price alone is all that they should be interested in.
It’s no wonder that the producers of the NCIS tv show thought ham radio was very similar to CB. Perhaps one of them stopped by Quartzfest one year and saw how many hams have no idea how their radios work, (but I’ll bet nearly every one of them can tell you what a great deal they got on it from a warehouse on the internet).
If it wasn’t for the hams it won’t eaven be there back it the day there was no internet just bbs’s and we were defineing packet and nodes befor its time
“Is the Internet Destroying Amateur Radio?” is a thought-provoking article that deserves wide readership among amateur radio operators.
Would you please grant me permission to include it in the December issue of the Garland Amateur Radio Club newsletter? Full acknowledgement of authorship and permission would of course be given.
Hoping to hear from you,
vy 73, Don W9VE
Don,
Sure, please use this article for your club newsletter. I give a blanket permission for non-commercial use of my content.
See https://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/about/
73, Bob K0NR
I am not sure if it is really radio if it is internet based. If you can’t transmit or receive it without a computer and internet access, does the radio even play a part or is it simply an input peripheral for web based VOIP? I am a new ham and I am still learning, and after over 20 years in computing and network support at various levels from mainframe ARPANET FTPs to modern integrated datacenter operations and support I have seen the full gamut of computer involvement in every facet of our lives. If internet connectivity boosts interest in amateur radio I am all for it, but this is not technically radio if it requires internet technology to function, is it? If the internet service provider has an outage and is inaccessible, I can still use my radio – even during power outages as it can be battery powered or run from my vehicle, but then that is the beauty of radio. Some of these internet “radio” extensions are seemingly more internet than radio, and in my opinion anything that relies heavily on TCP/IP really isn’t radio anymore. Of course, repeaters are in some ways parallel to servers in function however radio networking predates computer networks by decades. The concept of linked communications covering large geographic distances began with radio, and rather than replacing it, I prefer to think of all these internet modes as ways to augment the capability of radio. I do not see them as a substitute or replacement for the skills of amateur radio operators or for the reliability of modern amateur radio equipment. These two disciplines of the internet and amateur radio can compliment each other but there is a place for both and our job as hams is to keep communicating and demonstrating our knowledge.
Interesting article.. I feel the internet compliments the hobby.. We hams actually deserve some credit for developing the packet technology to send files via radio that the internet now runs on. I was originally licensed in 1969 at the age of 12 – learned code from LP records, leaned the theory from my Dad who wanted to be a ham in the worst way but he could not grasp the code unfortunately.. Never upgraded though. Re-discovered the hobby in 2011 and was amazed at the resources available online that make it a whole lot easier to study for a license exam now.. Things are being developed and built now that we never could have dreamed of years ago.. partially thanks to the internet. I love computers and have made my living from them for the past 30+ years so I feel the internet has complimented our hobby tremendously. 73 de K9PLG
I think you’re right. You have provided a well thought out opinion and I agree. However just because I agree doesn’t mean others should be shut out of the discussion, a point you clearly make and a point we must all live with.
No one is out there telling us we cannot play radio the way we like and, unless that time comes, I’ll just roll with it.
THANK YOU BOB!!! (And the other commenters!) I’ve been saying this for years! Unfortunately this is something that the ARRL doesn’t (want to) understand, along with most hams it seems. It’s all about how “no code let everyone in, NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!”. What BS. It’s really about how cell phones do much more than ordinary 2-way radios (HF or otherwise).
Basically, there have always been 3 groups of people in ham radio: Experimenters / DIY (a big reason I’m one even though I don’t have time or resources to devote as much as I want to), Contesters (ARRL’s and the ham stores’ bread and butter, especially ones like DX-E), and EmComm / Preppers / etc. Before cell phones took off and became the micro super-computers with broadband data connections they are today, repeaters were a popular way to keep in touch while being away from a landline (something millennials will likely never know) and hence autopatches with their legal restrictions. Now you almost never hear an autopatch get used.
Likewise (and like Charles?) I got into ham radio because BBS’s were a long distance (toll) call away. I was on CB at the time and the man who would become my elmer introduced me to VHF packet (and HF packet and AMTOR later). I fell in love INSTANTLY and got my license a couple of years later. I was one of the last to have to take the 5wpm code test, but otherwise became what today would be a Tech+ and stayed that way until a few years ago when the remaining code requirement went away.
That brings up the code: while it’s good to have, it’s well known that some people pick it up easily and others just can’t; I’m one of the latter. Should that keep me out even though I love electronics and repair my own radios? The fact remains that when I took my General and Extra exam (the same day), the General was easy enough I got a perfect score and the Extra was difficult enough I missed either 2 or 4 questions. IMHO, what passes for General should really be the Tech exam and the Extra should be the General: THIS would bring ham radio back to the experimenters and DIY builders! Fat chance ARRL will do that, though, as they’re all about the $$$.
I’m at work with a bit of a headache and I know this is rambling but I hope it makes sense. Maybe if enough people make noise something will be done “for the rest of us”, ARRL’s latest thing is pretty much a continuation of making the Tech exam little more than a form to fill out or a college elective you’re forced to take and will forget the moment you pass its test.
I have a lot to say about this, so I wrote a post on my blog in response. http://n0ssc.com/posts/583-millennials-are-killing-ham-radio
Sterling,
Excellent click bait headline (and good post).
73 Bob
I’m not sure if the net can be held responsible but anyone who has been a ham for more than 55 years or more, like myself—yes–ham radio is not the same we are losing out on the original theme in the name of modern technology & becoming appliance operators with 59 & 59 all the way using mighty expensive black boxes without knowing whats inside them !!
Let’s see, I’ve been licensed about 40 years now. From day one, I remember hams complaining about appliance operators. I think there have always been a segment of the hobby that just plugs in the radio and starts talking. That segment has probably grown over time as the technology becomes more advanced and more off the shelf.
i have a friend who has said for years that the big problem with ham radio is that radio amateurs have all this great communications capability but nothing of importance to say. I always thought he was overly cynical, but more and more, as I listen to the ham bands, I am thinking he might be right… Harry, VE3GRO
“You Are 59, the rig here is a Belchfire 88 running 1kW to a dipole”
Can you tell us more about that Belchfire rig?
I need to save the Belchfire topic for an actual QSO, so I have something to talk about.
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I started in the hobby at age 9 back in 1993, no hams in the family just a desire for technology and a lucky find at a neighbourhood flea market. This lead to the local ham club DF’ing me and collecting the gear until I became licenced which happened within the year to follow through self study and challenging the exam.
I was driven by technology and not necessarily talking to people. Things like propagation on low frequency and VHF and higher using SSB and CW for weak signal DX was a blast.
I administrated several APRS nodes, an amateur BBS and ran my own local amateur radio repeater by around age 13 or 14. I was close with those involved in early development of IRLP and participated in planning and execution of several amateur radio balloon launches in the late 90’s.
The technology was fantastic. I’ll admit that things have changed. I was lucky to participate in an EPIC solar cycle with great DX prop on HF, one which will probably not repeat in my lifetime looking back I feel fortunate to have been there for those experiences and innovations.
In the early 2000’s, I, like most young adults left home, chased a career and pursued starting a family.
Over the last couple years I started gathering gear and reading about the changes in the hobby. There is still lots of innovation, fun with new digital modes, Software Defined Radios, ect. The reverse beacon networks and psk reporting sites give insight to propagation characteristics never before possible when I was last active. eQSL is a dream for chasing those awards if that’s what drives you.
I think that for the person with the right interests, the hobby still has a unique niche that is only supplemented by internet and the IOT age and cannot be replicated off of the bands.
Our challenge will be marketing the right aspects to the right audiences to ensure that interests are captured and new blood attracted in the years to come.
Enjoyed the article and the perspective on how things have evolved.
73
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I have another idea: ham is not only about having fun. it’s about having fun BUILDING things. If all what you do to have fun is buy expensive rigs from professional manufacturers, then you’re doing CB, not ham. And you dont need to be a ham.
HAMs have a gigantic privilege: they can build radio things without having to mess with Part 15 regulations, and that’s GIGANTIC.
We are allowed to BUILD while others have to pay for building radios.
Also, in emergency situations, governments TRUST us to operate emergency radios, because we KNOW them from having built them, so we can operate them in adverse conditions, unlike GSM and other networks, that are very likely to fail in these situations, because personnel to maintain them is not available.
That’s why I believe we are HAMS and not Cibists: We can not only have fun by USING radios, but rather by BUILDING them.
I agree. One of the fun aspects of ham radio is building.
Bob K0NR
Indeed, the Internet is not an opponent for radio amateurs but rather a partner. Many of our former OMs have embarked on an open war against the Internet. They looked at what they might lose rather than see what this new technology could bring us. It was a war lost in advance and especially a bad fight.
de F4HTZ
Well said!
Bob K0NR
IMHO you just have to wonder : “Could I make this QSO without Internet ?”
If the answer is “Yes”, your use of internet is right…
Hello everyone !
Here Philippe F5PTA Françe. Here is my point of view concerning the inexorable descent of the codes here in France! . There are more than 20 years = 23000; 10 years 17000 today 13000 of which 5000 actually active on the air. Why ? 1 ° Suppression of the intermediate licenses 2 ° The government does not support at all For the support in the schools or universities of engineering. The army is not interested in us for natural disasters ex Saint Martin island more phone so reinforcement of other country !!!! At this rate we risk ending up in a dusty museum of telecomm! . And as Sir Wiston Churchill said, ‘It’s not the beginning but it’s the beginning of the end! ” And I notice that the call ” F ” is not the same as before in the call charts in ” pile-up ” on 20mts! . So here is the reality, tomorrow ??? .
Meanwhile happy new year and good health 2018. Good traffic to all!
Philippe f5pta / tm1usa / tm 18 goal
Qrz.com cqqrz qrz.ru eqsl qrz center
I would like to bring to the notice & fore of all Ham radio enthusiasts–kindly read The Amateur’s Code from 1 to 6 , in any ARRL Radio Amateur’s Handbook which was like the Bible for us old timers—infact my late father VU2BK the original, never allowed me to dabble in the hobby till I had read the 6 points which really explains what the hobby is all about !
Hi Bob,
Perhaps the good question could be ” Is your use of the Internet Destroying your Amateur Radio practice ?
We (I) built our hobby by learning news things and decide to continue or not, depend of the pleasure we (I) obtain in response, human physiological basic principe.
I.E. I continue to participate in contest but always “non assisted” class because I do not like the brainless activity to click the mouse for making the qso through the cluster, compare with the pleasure to built my own forecast propagation chart, bands and timing choices, a battle map in this sort of game same as a weather map route to sail through the atlantic…
I use internet to improve the beacons informations with WSPR, reverse beacons or NCDXF beacons… The better of internet is to give me the real information in direct and for my own QRA location compare with monthly propagation chart in QST or others magazines… And I continue to decide by myself… Artificial intelligence can do that very well, but this is an other game…
I continue to built my own goodies with help of excellent tutorial on internet. And I can understand how it is work as a non professional in electronics because of the easy access of the knowledge via articles or groups…
Even if the new FT8 mode is a incredible way to make a point to point “qso” between two stations – two PC – with small equipment, when the path seems closed for our ears, I will continue to use SSB and CW as I have pleasure to use them…
Do what you want with internet if you have pleasure to use it…
Even there are many guru in this hobby as every where, this hobby is not a church…
But where are lucky to obtain the rights – through the licence – to investigate an incredible variety of personnal or group experiences, because this is a no limit hobby except your curiosity and your learning capacities…
Best 73 Laurent F6GOX
Laurent,
Great way to frame the question:
“Is your use of the Internet Destroying your Amateur Radio practice?”