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G8PZT > ALL 16.12.12 16:37l 49 Lines 2304 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 000540350PZT
Read: GUEST
Subj: Lack of Content
Path: IZ3LSV<F1OYP<SR1BSZ<ON4HU<F6IQF<IK6ZDE<VE3UIL<GB7MAX<GB7PZT
Sent: 121216/1354Z @:GB7PZT.#24.GBR.EU [Kidderminster] #:54000 XSERV410h
From: G8PZT@GB7PZT.#24.GBR.EU (Paula)
To: ALL@WW
Subject: Lack of Content
X-Mailer: XServ v410h HTTPmail
Thinking back 15 years or so, there were hundreds of bulletins each day,
on all manner of topics. A good proportion of those were sent @GBR, with
@WW used much less frequently than it is nowadays. Presumably other countries
also saw a lot of national traffic.
Nowadays, most traffic is international (@WW), amounting to a couple of
dozen messages per day, and what really strikes me is the lack of content.
There are so many interesting facets to ham radio, more than ever before,
yet there is virtually no mention of them on Packet.
I don't see anyone discussing the use of Raspberry Pi for ham radio/packet
for example. Or the use of DVB-T dongles for SDR. Or anyone promoting their
new Ham Radio software (and there's plenty out there). Nor any discussion
about the cheap handhelds from China. Or how to access packet from a mobile
device. Heck, not even any discussion about APRS!!
It's all happening on Internet forums now.
Thanks to the hard work and dedication of many sysops around the world,
we have a marvellous low-bandwidth, self policing, network that is free
from spam and viruses, and by definition is radio-hams only. Why aren't
we using it to its full potential?
One factor could be that we have lost "critical mass", i.e. there aren't
enough users to keep a discussion going. So people have lost faith, and
don't consider it worth posting anything. But this is a vicious circle,
and it works both ways. Post stuff and people will take more interest. The
more interest they take, the more people are likely to post.
These days, thanks to BBS's with HTTP interfaces it's no more difficult
to send and receive packet mail than it is to use an Internet forum. In
fact in some ways it's easier. For instance I'm currently using a browser
to send this mail via a *very* low bandwidth GPRS connection which is unable
to support a connection with Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo and the like. Yet
it works perfectly for Packet bulls, due to the lack of Javascript clutter,
images etc. I've also used (and demonstrated) this interface via a 1200
baud packet link.
So if you're an Internet forum user, why not consider posting to packet
too. Do your bit to keep Packet alive!
73, Paula
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