There are plenty of standard, plain vanilla, ordinary, typical, run-of-the-mill discussions of rules and low power technology coming in the months ahead if I ever get around to it.
For several years I have been trying to move forward in a number of areas such as antenna experimentation, outdoor tower installs, long-distance cable runs, more shortwave action, return of the broken carrier current system, and much more.
Even now the day to day programming of KDX Worldround Radio takes large bulks of time, and the past few weeks have been an intensive experiment involving DIY streaming servers. Other time is taken due to my extreme popularity.
Like Artisan mentioned in a nearby thread no one is "bailing" from this forum. The persons missing in action are in an unknown status... no one has a clue where they are.
Only to hazard a guess about the relatively small participation, I tend to believe that today's person is not inclining toward radio as an interest, being entirely consumed by popular internet sites and smartphone attractions..
Another contributing factor could be the ending of some of the best low power kits, without which hobbyists have less choice.
My frequent posting in the past two days results from 8" of snow which keeps me indoors.
The snow has increased the amount of hum being received on my AM frequency.
Join me in thinking about transmission antennas.
Quoting: "Like Artisan mentioned in a nearby thread no one is “bailing” from this forum. The persons missing in action are in an unknown status… no one has a clue where they are."
This statement is self inconsistent. If their status is unknown then it is also unknown whether or not they have "bailed". Let's hope not but let's also not draw conclusions based on little information.
I look forward to reading about your experiences as you move forward thinking about transmission antennas and the other areas you mentioned.
Neil
Not At All
"This (bailing) statement is self inconsistent."
No it's not. I only used the (in quotes) "bailing" word because BillyBurg used it and was quoted by Artisan. I never suggested any reason why so many great members from the past have gone silent, since I do not know.
Whether in quotes or not, bailing in this sentence has a clear meaning and if you read again the first sentence I quoted it is also clear that you authored same. I did not offer any reasons at all, nor did I agree that bailing is happening...I simply stated that based on what we do not know about the status of the missing we cannot assign whether or not they bailed nor, if they did, the reasons for it. You were the one who later in the post "hazarded a guess" about possible reasons for light participation which could be due to people no longer participating, not I, yet you now state "I never suggested any reason why so many great members from the past have gone silent, since I do not know.." So I cannot understand your objection to my assertion the the quoted statement is not self consistent and is in fact self contradictory, nor your claim that you did not suggest any reasons.
Neil
So ... what do we do about it? Recruit new participants? Look up the quiet ones, drop them a note asking where they went and welcome them back?
We could sit here in our dark sealed room and analyze it, or we could round them up. I vote for the latter.
Talking Incoherently
Radio8Z presented a gigantic run-on statement: "Whether in quotes or not, bailing in this sentence has a clear meaning and if you read again the first sentence I quoted it is also clear that you authored same. I did not offer any reasons at all, nor did I agree that bailing is happening…I simply stated that based on what we do not know about the status of the missing we cannot assign whether or not they bailed nor, if they did, the reasons for it. You were the one who later in the post “hazarded a guess” about possible reasons for light participation which could be due to people no longer participating, not I, yet you now state “I never suggested any reason why so many great members from the past have gone silent, since I do not know..” So I cannot understand your objection to my assertion the the quoted statement is not self consistent and is in fact self contradictory, nor your claim that you did not suggest any reasons."
I can't understand what you wrote, but I think I know what you are trying to say.
I will speak to you in special English.
Neil... You... seem... to... be... saying... that... I... made... a... slip... of... grammar.
If... so..., that... would... make... me... the... first... person... ever... to... do... so.
I... know... that... you... are... pretending... not... to... realize... what... I tried... to... say.
Carl,
Please respond to what I posted with a cogent response. Or, you may choose not to. Correct me if I err. That is OK with me.
Neil
To BillyBurg,
I think there is a problem with this forum and appreciate that you are interested enough to post about it. First, identify the problem to put it before us, then put it behind us.
Neil
billyburg said "So … what do we do about it?"
As I stated in a related post, we're all here for different reasons. It would be the height of arrogance for me to assume that my motivations are the same as anyone else's.
Members come and go as their needs and desires wax and wane. Some want to help others. Some need help. Some have causes they want to promote. There are all kinds.
I just think that we need to do what we've been continuing to do over the years. Provide an environment in which people can discuss radio and related topics in a relatively safe and open manner.
That doesn't mean that there won't be disagreements. To disagree is to be human (also to err). But let's not let the disagreements distract us from our fundamental mission.
That's my long winded explanation for why I believe there's nothing wrong with this site. Let's just keep the discussions civil.
Or the Moderators WILL step in.
"I just think that we need to do what we’ve been continuing to do over the years. Provide an environment in which people can discuss radio and related topics in a relatively safe and open manner."
Absolutely agree 100%. But radio stations practice audience/customer retention, as does nearly every company doing business on the internet ("We'd like to welcome you back", etc). I am all for doing the same here for participants who have cycled out for one reason or another; to welcome them back into the fold. I'm certain our benevolent Owner/Moderator didn't relaunch the site after the attack with the hopes it would fall into ruin like some abandoned Catskills resort.
The thought is intriguing, billyburg.
I personally find some of the 'we'd like to welcome you back' stuff annoying. I get enough e-mails, reminders, etc. and I tend to choose what I'm really interested in without regard to external forces.
On the other hand, I think that other approaches to the issue are positively inspiring and even brilliant. I point to the example of another similar site offering branded merchandise (I hope that they recognize that I'm praising them, rather than attempting to steal 'their' idea).
The trick, I think, is to remind those that may have strayed from the fold that we still exist and are open for business, and to come up with approaches to retain membership, without being too intrusive.
I (and I would think the ownership) would certainly be open to ideas.
Continuing the Thought
BillyBurg I endorse the idea of "welcoming absent members back to the forum" but maybe this idea presumes that we know why they left, which can only be guessed about.
The explanation as to drifting away from the forum might be as simple as, "I found the information I was looking for and now am satisfied... thanks".
Over the past months many newbees have asked "how do I start", we all contribute what we know and never hear from them again. Did they get started? Did they forget about it? Were they even real, or were they contrived as a device to start a new thread?
I notice that most station operators on all of these forums who share their feelings have fond memories of great DJs on radio in the 60s and strive to re-live those days with their own stations. I also was magically touched by DJs of the past.
All the other uses deserve mention also, including sports, local news, point-of-sales such as real estate "talking houses", and call-in talk shows.
This forum site has emphasized technical aspects of radio, but has limited discussion about programming particularly when it has to do with world news, which gets banned as "political", and I am hoping the big bosses can be educated that "knowledge", which news delivers, is not automatically political, nor should politics be scorned except when it amounts to ideological preaching. Yet even the analysis of ideologies from an observational-objective point of view can be scholarly valid.
An undeniable obstacle to succeeding is the result of the wide range of maturities of participating members. A kid is going to be turned off very quickly when persons of experience talk about "grown up" topics, and the older members may lack the inclination to speak baby talk.
I speak bluntly after becoming bored by fancy dancing trying to please everybody.