What keeps you going
Started out in this hobby in the late 70's in my uncle basement introducing me to international shortwave broadcasters. Played around in the early 80's with my grandmothers radio that had some shortwave bands on it. Did my dxing as a pre teen from a Panasonic pocket portable learning all the clear channel AM stations on the West and Central US. Graduated to a Realistic DX100 and 75- long wire antenna as a freshman in High School. That's were I earned my stripes learning about propagation and antenna theory. 49/31 meters was so packed at sundown that QRM referred too and adjacent station 10Khz off. I am sure we all have a similar story.
Now lets fast forward to today. The international broadcasters pretty much gone. Domestic tropical band service is non existent. Radio rag chew. All I hear these days is the classic Icom ring. Their Dollar Store scores and the cost of Medicare co pays. Nobody is talking about their shack and antenna farm or heated political discissions anymore. Pirate radio, Sure I am game. But the West Coast dxers dont seem to be invited to the party.
Is it me just loosing interest on what's available on the airwaves. I feel that any money spent on the hobby is wasted money but the K-480WLA and the DX286 are catching my eye. Then there is the time spent. I cant remember the last time I heard anything interesting surfing the radio waves.