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I bought a used HW-2036A 2-meter FM transceiver when I got my Tech class HAM radio license in 1979.

I had to add a 100 Hz sub-audible tone (CTCSS) generator to be able to access the repeaters. But once I did, what fun!

Those were the days.

I think that today the tech savvy kids are into making things work together software wise and writing application software. Maybe they may get started building a couple of simple circuits (usually using 555 timer ICs) from Radio Shack. But for serious applications they make use of the hardware that is already out there (why design and build a display and front panel when laptop computers are available, for instance...)

Even in the "good old days" we were still dependent on the right transistor being available - I still remember (after a few seconds) the 40673 MOSFET transistor that I had to replace in the front end of the Heathkit shortwave receiver I had built.

I was always more of a hardware person myself. But even a lot of the hardware gurus that I know (electrical engineers) got into programming micro-controllers with the major processing power and on-board circuitry already available at far cheaper than what even your time alone is worth to even try to build it, and any misc. electronic parts and soldering is to interface that circuit to the rest of the world. The technology evolves over time.

http://www.nutsvolts.com/

Nuts and Volts is a good publication for the current state of the modern electronics hobbyist.

Yes, I used to have my Radio License also...seems so long ago... Heh, don’t get me started on the 555 timer... I was more of a hardware person early on, then elevated (my words) into a software person...heh. Yes, I was fixing hardware when the idea of a transistor or integrated circuit was developed. The Crypto equipment that I originally worked with was tube...

Yes, there are a few of us still available old fogies still around, but the transistor is a thing of the past, as far as manufacturer is concerned - I’m talking during bad times. That kind of thing will be the first thing lost in the new world.

Yes, that kind of skills were transformed into mico controller programming or worse. I was trying to say that the way society is going today, all of those skills would be useless without electricity or other niceties of today.

The future is not so set as you might think...

Have a good one...