This article has been in the draft queue for some time and it seems
appropriate to complete it as a companion to the previous article.
On the eve of Hamvention 2025, the largest (?) Amateur Radio conference
in the world, I think it’s an opportune moment to recognize that
Amateur Radio, like all other organized activities, needs to constantly
renew itself with new entrants. My perception from my research for Zero
Retries is that this trend — more technical entrants, is not widely
recognized, or perhaps is only just now beginning to be recognized. And,
perhaps more importantly, what these new Amateur Radio Operators are
expecting from, and contributing to Amateur Radio.
I’ve been noting for some time in Zero Retries that there is a new
type of new Amateur Radio Operator coming into Amateur Radio that is
generally more technical than “casually interested” or “focused on
emergency communications” potential Amateur Radio Operators.
Backgrounds of these new, more technical entrants into Amateur Radio
include software developers, involvement in the IT industry (and
especially networking / Internet), involvement in the radio technology
industry (including those working for mobile carriers), involvement in
the space industry, scientists, open source advocates, technical and
university engineering students (and teachers / professors), makers, and
hackers. Three examples of what I’ll call “NewTechHams” with prominent
public profiles include:
I first wrote substantively about this trend in Zero Retries 0162 in
New Meme - Hackers Are The Future of Ham Radio. The primary example of
this trend is that Amateur Radio is a regular feature of the DEFCON
conference, including Amateur Radio examinations. From the article:
It’s instructive that the largest Volunteer Examiner (VE) Amateur Radio
license testing session was at DEFCON 22 in August 2014 (see pages 8
and 9). 205 hackers took their Amateur Radio test at DEFCON 22; the
number that passed wasn’t noted in the article.
Once I became aware of this trend, I began to see it in many other
places. I talked to one newly licensed Amateur Radio Operator who
said that they were an IT professional that deployed and managed
Wi-Fi infrastructure for a major company. When they heard about AREDN
networks, they obtained their Amateur Radio license so they could help
deploy and manage AREDN networks.
Thus here are some general observations about NewTechHams.
Transactional
NewTechHams approach Amateur Radio as a transactional activity rather
than a hobby (pastime) activity. They have specific expectations of what
they want to do, what they want from Amateur Radio. Example: Many want
to get hands-on experience with more advanced radio technology than
using only unlicensed radio devices such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and LoRa.
Thus… if Amateur Radio wants to retain (and grow) NewTechHams in
Amateur Radio, there has to be widespread support for the kinds of
technologies and activities that relevant to NewTechHams. Examples: Zero
Retries and [Random Wire} newsletters, Tech Minds YouTube channel,
Zero Retries Digital Conference, M17 Project, AREDN, IP400
Network Project, and supporting organizations.
Software and Open Source is Primary
With the rise, and now dominance of Linux in the Information
Technology and Internet industries, software has become the primary
technology to create new systems. Adequately powerful processors that
enable the use of high level programming languages is now assumed.
There’s a lot less use of “write to the metal” programming, even when
using microcontrollers because it’s simply more productive to do so.
This trend is no different in Amateur Radio. For example, the new < $200
zBitx HF radio uses a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W computer for most of its
functionality, running Linux. The zBitx is (claimed to be) open source,
thus experimentation by the end user is possible, and an active group
of experimenters is doing so.
Linux has now been in use for more than three decades. Thus NewTechHams
have grown up with Linux and open source, and many NewTechHams really,
actively despise proprietary systems in Amateur Radio such as the use
of the proprietary DVSI codec technology used in DMR, D-Star, System
Fusion, and P25. When considering involvement in a project, their first
and highest priority question is “where’s the GitHub repository”?
Conversely, a number of NewTechHams have embraced the M17 Project
because it’s completely open source. On the m17-users list, I was
told that prior to becoming aware that M17 was open source, a number
of technically proficient Amateur Radio Operators completely ignored
digital voice technology because it required the use of proprietary
technology.
Thus… if Amateur Radio wants to retain (and grow) NewTechHams in
Amateur Radio, there has to be support for participation in Amateur
Radio projects and systems and activities via software and the open
source model of community software development.
Internet Native; Internet is Just Another Utility
Similarly to Linux, NewTechHams have grown up with ubiquitous Internet
access. NewTechHams under 30 have never known a world without Internet
Access. We’ve had mobile broadband Internet access for nearly two
decades now.
Thus NewTechHams tend to treat Internet as just another utility. Why
wouldn’t their Amateur Radio activities not incorporate Internet
when doing so adds to the interest and utility and learning about radio
technology and Amateur Radio. For example, the Random Wire newsletter
does a stellar job of covering the various (and varied!) aspects of
Amateur Radio over Internet. Another example is the rapidly rising
popularity of remotely accessible HF radio systems, especially when
offered as a membership amenity of Amateur Radio clubs. Such an option
is very attractive for exploring HF by those that can’t afford or
build their own HF station (students, those in apartments, etc.)
One interesting aspect of NewTechHams expecting always-available
Broadband Internet Access (both “landline” and mobile) is that they are
acutely sensitive to Internet failure. Thus they seek Internet backup
options such as Starlink and alternatives to Internet access, such as
Meshtastic, General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS), and Ribbit for
critical communications when Internet isn’t available.
Thus… if Amateur Radio wants to retain (and grow) NewTechHams in
Amateur Radio, Amateur Radio over Internet activities need to be much
more widely known and evangelized within Amateur Radio to attract and
interest the Internet native NewTechHams. Specifically, it needs to be
widely understood that the pervasive “that… isn’t Ham Radio”
attitude be retired.
Currently, emergency communications in Amateur Radio is primarily
promoted for involvement with “served agencies”. While some NewTechHams
might be interested in such activity, as explained above, it’s likely
of much more interest to NewTechHams that Amateur Radio can be used as a
backup for personal communications. Example - promote AREDN, use of VHF
/ UHF repeaters, and easy to use HF radios.
Data Primary, Voice if Necessary
NewTechHams generally prefer text communications because it’s simply
more efficient than communicating via voice. There’s a record, typing
is second nature to them, and they use text messaging systems in their
jobs (example - Slack), in their personal communications (example -
Signal), and in their recreation (example - Discord). Thus they have
a similar perspective in their consideration of Amateur Radio… “I
don’t want to talk, I want to text”.
Thus… if Amateur Radio wants to retain (and grow) NewTechHams in
Amateur Radio, text messaging and data communication modes need to
be promoted and be widely available. Examples - DigiPi (multiple data
modes), IP400 Network Project, and Winlink (especially using apps such
as RadioMail).
More Interested in VHF / UHF than HF
This is the most subjective aspect of this article, but my observation
is that NewTechHams are generally more interested in experimenting and
operating on VHF / UHF, mostly because the equipment is less expensive
(such as portable VHF / UHF radios versus HF radios) and especially
because the overall requirement for larger, outdoor antennas for HF
is problematic (living in apartments, rental homes, and homeowner’s
association restrictions). But this is rapidly changing due to:
More powerful, reliable data modes in use on HF such as JS8Call,
More inexpensive options of Software Defined HF radios such as zBitx, and
New types of low profile (stealthy) HF antennas such as Magnetic Loop Antennas.
Thus… if Amateur Radio wants to retain (and grow) NewTechHams in
Amateur Radio, these factors have to be considered in recruiting
NewTechHams such as offering good VHF / UHF options such as powerful,
sensitive VHF / UHF repeaters, or careful recommendations of starter HF
modes, radios, and antennas rather than “just buy a used HF rig at a
hamfest”.
Mistaken and Managed Expectations
For the past two decades, NewTechHams have been using mobile devices
over cellular networks that provide voice and Broadband Internet
Access. That these mobile devices over cellular work so well is a
function of uncountable billions of dollars in collective infrastructure
development (multiple generations of technology) and incredible advances
in computational and resulting computational-based radio technology.
Thus NewTechHams sometimes don’t understand why, when attempting to
use a VHF / UHF repeater via a small portable FM radio, it doesn’t
work as well as a mobile device. It looks like a (simplified) mobile
device. Adding to that confusion are Push To Talk over Cellular
devices that look very similar to small portable FM radios.
Thus the experience of a NewTechHam attempting to use a small, portable
FM radio via a VHF / UHF repeater is far less than impressive than their
experiences using a mobile device over cellular.
Using Amateur Radio data communications systems is similarly “less than
impressive”, especially legacy 1200 bps AFSK. Even VARA FM which can
achieve up to 25 kbps using modems with “voice” radios isn’t very
impressive to NewTechHams.
One of the reasons that I feel that 2025 is an opportune moment to
develop and promote the IP400 Network Project is that expectations
for independent mesh networked data / messaging systems is that
Meshtastic has set (low) expectations, and IP400 can easily exceed those
expectations. Thus IP400 can provide an incentive to become involved
in Amateur Radio, because IP400 (will, eventually) work better than
Meshtastic.
Thus… if Amateur Radio wants to retain (and grow) NewTechHams in
Amateur Radio, Amateur Radio needs to be able to offer relevant voice
and data systems, and where necessary, offer information and manage
expectations.
Example messaging:
This (photo) is a handheld device using cellular networks. It works well
because there’s billions of dollars invested in development of the
technology and deployment of the networks.
This (photo) is a handheld device using Amateur Radio. It uses a
radically simpler technology - VHF / UHF repeaters, with a few thousand
dollars invested in maintaining each repeater.
That’s why when the cellular device (rarely) fails, the handheld
device using Amateur Radio still works, because it’s simpler,
decentralized, and independent of cellular networks.
IP400 — Everything you love about Meshtastic such as off-grid mesh
networking, but much faster and much more reliable using Amateur Radio.
Walled Gardens and Paywalls Versus Open Access
Given their experience with open source and being Internet natives,
NewTechHams generally prefer to self-educate when learning about
something new like Amateur Radio. Thus, they look for what they can find
on the Internet, especially video and other short, easily readable text
such as Wikipedia.
What NewTechHams generally do when trying to learn about something
new is see what they can find on their own (independent learning) on
the Internet, such as YouTube or TikTok, publications such as The
Communicator and Amateur Radio Weekly, Wikipedia articles, the
[Digital Library of Amateur Radio & Communications (DLARC)] project of
the Internet Archive, and most recently using Artificial Intelligence
(AI) systems to ask questions such as “What is Ham Radio?”
What all of those independent learning sources are that they are all
open media. That is, not hidden behind a paywall, accessible only to
“paying customers”. Many, perhaps most current Amateur Radio Operators
consider it “normal” to join an organization such as a local club,
technical club, or national organization to access paywalled material
such as the club newsletter, AMSAT Journal, or QST. But that’s just
not the typical perspective of NewTechHams. Thus such content isn’t an
“incentive” to join and financially support those organizations. That
content is effectively invisible from independent learning, thus nearly
irrelevant to NewTechHams.
Thus… if Amateur Radio wants to retain (and grow) NewTechHams in
Amateur Radio, good instructional material must be made available at
no cost, and publicly available via Internet. While the examples cited
above are good references for individual subjects, there needs to be a
more comprehensive treatment of Amateur Radio as a whole such as an open
source equivalent to the ARRL Amateur Radio Handbook, perhaps titled
“Amateur Radio Open Source Omnibus” with elements from open source
material such as 73 Magazine in DLARC.
Software First, Hardware Second, and Cheaper Is Better
As explained earlier, NewTechHams generally prefer software based
systems that can be experimented with and changed versus “fixed”
hardware. For example, the TIDRADIO H3 portable radio has an active
community developing alternative firmware versions for it. The Yaesu
FT-4XR portable radio is a capable unit from a major Amateur Radio
manufacturer, but its functionality is fixed. Thus, to NewTechHans, the
H3 is generally preferably to the FT-4XR.
Another factor to take into consideration with NewTechHams is that they
didn’t grow up with as much hands-on experience with electronics such
as assembling Heathkit units with soldering irons. NewTechHams
generally experimented with electronics units such as breadboards and
Arduino and assembling their own custom personal computer from modules
such as motherboards and disk drives. Thus the usual advice for Amateur
Radio experimentation of “Just solder together…” or “Make a
cable…” can be a “showstopper” for less experienced NewTechHams.
Frugality… is the one area where there is almost total overlap
between NewTechHams and traditional Amateur Radio. Both groups are
cheap. NewTechHams grew up with powerful digital technology being
available for low prices, especially considering mail order from
China… prior 2025, anyway. Older Amateur Radio Operators learned how
to economize in their Amateur Radio stations such as modifications
published in a magazine, making their own cables instead of buying
prefabricated cables, etc.
Thus… if Amateur Radio wants to retain (and grow) NewTechHams in
Amateur Radio, there needs to be emphasis on “software hackable”
technology, minimal hardware tinkering required (especially minimizing
soldering), land there needs to be many inexpensive alternatives
available at the entry level. For example, the DigiPi project addresses
all three of these areas:
DigiPi is open source and thus software hackable.
DigiPi can be assembled easily from widely available hardware such
as N7EBB’s Radio Interface Board or the Masters Communications
DRA-Pi-Zero REV2, both of which are available in either as a kit to be
assembled, or fully assembled.
DigiPi can be assembled inexpensively depending on options you choose.
DigiPi is also very well supported by the developer with videos and
responsiveness on a email list.
In conclusion, I think NewTechHams offer a needed “shot in the arm”
to Amateur Radio just at the right time as the opportunities for
innovation and experimentation in Amateur Radio have never been more
widely available due to new, more widely available, and inexpensive
radio technology.
But to attract NewTechHams into deeper involvement with Amateur Radio,
their unique characteristics need to be recognized, accommodated, and
most importantly utilized. Just one final example - if a radio club
wants to find and promote new younger members, they need look no further
than the local Makerspace or high school STE(A)M program. But the club
needs to be prepared for those potential new Amateur Radio Operators and
club members to “think different” than “traditional” Amateur
Radio, as in meeting them where they are (digital, text, software)
rather than “we need to get you licensed and then you’ll be able to
have fun on HF”.
