So it was (past tense) Wednesday 2nd August 2017 and unusually I’m sat in a hotel bar in Portsmouth ‘people watching’ – with a pint of course…
Everyone (including me) has their head down umbilically connected to their phones…
Before my flight back to Guernsey from Southampton last week you could see the same thing in the departures area.. lots of people with their heads down engaged with their phones and no one else around them (again me included).
Its not until you stop and look around you that you notice how this plague of smart phones has taken over… not so ‘smart’ eh!
What did we do before phones? I’d have probably ended up chatting to the guy sat next to me… now as a culture of smart phone users we rarely communicate with those immediately around us…
Radio is not dissimilar, as a general rule it separates us in to a solitary world of radio communication, sat in our shacks alone or atop a mountain, alone – however at least we talk to strangers when we have a QSO – next time you do ‘talk’ take the time for more than just a 59/QRZ – after all that’s what the hobby is about isn’t it, communicating with others rather than ticking boxes!?
Over the past couple of days I’ve tried digital modes for the first time – JT9/65 & FT8 – good god, its smart phone syndrome, not a real communication tool but rather a ‘box ticker’ – if you want to tick boxes then great but there is no personal touch in these modes is there! 599/QRZ 😉
I’m going to try and leave my phone in my pocket more often and not be part of the zombie plague – why not try yourself, see if you can have a nicer ‘QSO’ be it on the radio or actually in person with someone… find out something interesting or pass something interesting on to another…
73!
QRZ…. 😉