There is an unreasonably large number of bigoted, racist, and generally rude "old guy" hams. I've been wondering about this for a while.
I got my novice license when the community was as you describe (helpful, welcoming of everyone) and then got my extra class in the 'modern' age. I have been told that SDRs are not "real" radios (as an example). I get the people who feel inadequate because technology has moved quickly and they don't understand it, but the rage they have at people who do is really quite surprising to me.
One theory I have is that these curmudgeons have 'run out' people who just got tired of hearing them on the air.
That said, in probably 20 years or so it is going to be great because they are all going to be dead and hopefully they will have taken their attitude with them.
I got my novice license when the community was as you describe (helpful, welcoming of everyone) and then got my extra class in the 'modern' age. I have been told that SDRs are not "real" radios (as an example). I get the people who feel inadequate because technology has moved quickly and they don't understand it, but the rage they have at people who do is really quite surprising to me.
One theory I have is that these curmudgeons have 'run out' people who just got tired of hearing them on the air.
That said, in probably 20 years or so it is going to be great because they are all going to be dead and hopefully they will have taken their attitude with them.