Amateur Radio is attracting UK uni students

[VK4WDM]

I have seen the following press release on several AR-related sites:

The Surrey Electronics and Amateur Radio Society based at the University of Surrey has signed up over 100 members in 2015

I believe that the UK Foundation License allows access to digital modes. If so, then it is probably a major attraction for this techno-savvy group. Australia take note!

73

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK4TI]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flogging_a_dead_horse

[VK8NSB]

With 400 Amateurs less last year, I think we have missed the boat and its now too late ...
I hope I am wrong and we can attract more to the hobby, but I think the ease of the internet has killed us..

The sooner we get Digital modes for the Foundation licence I think the better..

Take it easy ...

73,s Stuie

VK8NSB

[VK4GHZ]

I think we have missed the boat and its now too late ...

Yep.
I estimate ye ol ham radio in Australia breached PNR (Point of No Return) as recently as 2-3 years ago.

I base this upon ham radio being unwilling to embrace online as a medium to reach out and engage tech savvy individuals, whilst in the last few years other high-tech hobbies such as drones and 3D printing have come along and become mainstream.

These new hobbies have been really easy to get into and learn about, because everything you could possibly want to know is freely available online.
(And for those who don't know, I got into drones 18 months ago, so I'm speaking from experience!)

Compare this to ham radio, where there is a preference to use secret squirrel email to communicate amongst each other, and submit articles to print media.

*** NEWS FLASH ***
People under 30 (read as: new blood) are highly unlikely to go out of their way, and search out what issue of XXXX publication something was printed in, THEN, have to purchase it, THEN have to wait for it to arrive in the snail mail.

What a great way to share knowledge in the 21st century.
Not.

And have a look at the average ham radio club website.
If it doesn't look like something from a decade ago, then it's a token effort... and token efforts always look like token efforts.

Yes, yawn, I've been beating this drum for a few years now, and co-incidentally, look where we are now.
It seems the WIA and the local clubs (both predomininantly controlled by old school mentality) couldn't see this coming.