[SBE] Discussion topics

[k7cr]

Fred posed this question -


> Are there any figures on what percentage of current SBE members are

> within five years of retirement?  Ten years?  It goes by rather

> quickly...and then what?


This issue goes well beyond the matter of where SBE will find it's new 
members.
I am within 5 years of retirement (my choice) and as I look over my shoulder
I find no-one chomping at the bit to take my job...much less even apply for 
it.

No one wants to get dirty, put on chains on all 4 and head up the mountain
in the middle of the night to work on something analog with 8kv on the 
inside.

When I started in this business back in 1961 there were plenty of young
Hams that were eager to apply their skills to things in a broadcast 
operation...
but today those folks are old too.

Largely broadcasting, Radio and TV, have become computer based operations
with the bit of analog tossed in just to rattle the minds of those that 
think that
15 volts is high-voltage and who are totally confused by schematics.   In 
many
ways these folks are disconnected from the world that we knew and, in some
cases, continue to operate within.

I could go on and on -

My $.02

Clay Freinwald, K7CR
Member of the Board