Over the past couple of days, there has been three news stories related to the future of amateur radio. The first, Data on Number of Radio Amateurs Worldwide Needs Updating, is kind of an odd story, if you ask me. The first paragraph reads:
The oft-cited figure of 3 million radio amateurs worldwide may need updating. That number was what the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) published in 2000 for the global head count. The IARU once regularly collected amateur radio population statistics, but stopped the practice around the point when the worldwide amateur radio population began to decline.
It then goes on to cite some statistics on the declining number of amateur radio operators around the world. For example, the story says, ” Japan’s ham radio population has dropped by more than 600,000 over the past 2 decades; as of 2015, it was 435,581, according to JARL.” And, the story concludes, “The specific size of the worldwide amateur radio population remains open to speculation, although a 2021 figure of 1.75 million may be closer to the truth.”
My reaction to this is, “OK, so why doesn’t the ARRL get the IARU to start counting again?” The ARRL is, after all, the elephant in the room when it comes to to the IARU, isn’t it?
The next story, Numbers taking up amateur radio in UK declining, reports:
Figures in RSGB Board Proceedings suggest there has been a decline during this year in numbers joining the hobby but numbers are still much better than those before [remote] online exams were introduced.
Unfortunately, the story gives no reasons for the decline.
The third story, “IARU Region 1 prepares for Workshop,” announces the upcoming event, “Shaping the Future.” According to the story, the event is “designed as a highly interactive workshop where small groups of delegates will discuss the goals for amateur radio into the future and how Member Societies and IARU can support progress towards those aims.”
The workshop takes place October 17-21, and is being held virtually. I’ve emailed the IARU to see if this workshop is open to the general public, but I’m guessing that it’s only for invited IARU delegates. If I find out otherwise, I’ll post that information here.
At a guess the UK numbers are down from the bump caused by lockdown and online examinations.
The extra time people had and the ease of online courses and exams meant a lot of people who were interested actually took the time to get a license.
During the pandemic, I engaged with hams all over the world on email lists. It amazes me how prolific, active and widely distributed hams are. I do a lot of homebrewing and I’m always surprised by when I have a question, how many answers come from outside the US.
It would be great to understand what drives those hams and if ham radio is really declining globally.
Of course its declining, the stupidity of the questions is one reason, most questions on the RSGB have multiple correct answers and some are downright riduculous, one question on the second mock full exam asks a qustion about a victim radio, what the hell is a victim radio ?
Most of the questios to get a full license are over complicated garbage and require a post grad degree keeping the best for the elites, the questions are pointless as mos people these days buy ready built gear and arent interested i how it works to a componant level, if it goes wrog it gets sent back to dealer.
The whole idea of different levels of license introduce a class society which the Brits thrive on creates division snobbey and elitism
The RSGB is an outdated dinosaur full of old men who probably attend a club at weekeeds with one trouser leg rolled up