You know, there seems to be more folks to meet & speak with via Internet than (locally, ie, in Australia) Ham Radio!
So, maybe it's time to bring some of my / our Internet friends "out of the closed" and onto the air, at least when all parties are happy to meet, cross- media.
It's no different than Phone Patches, really, and I trust that the law is the same (or more lax) these days, ie, provided the licensed Ham controls the transmitter, it's OK to send a friend's voice from the Shack onto the air, so that two friends - one on the air & the other on the Internet, via Skype, can meet & exchange a few words.
What'cha think? Is there any better way to help improve (ie, balance) our gender ratio on the Ham Bands? I don't think so.
PS It's also time for "Third Party" Re- strictions to change... after all, if - using programs like Skype - we can freely communicate with & even connect friends in any Internet-connected land... via encrypted voice & text comms channels, no less... all without any need whatsoever for any kind of license
... it no longer seems at all reasonable to require any sort of treaty between nations before their respective citizens and/or residents (as licensed Hams) may speak to third paries on one side or the other, eg. via phone patches, etc.
Let's get this dinosaur of a rule dropped!
It serves no one's interests anymore, and it puts Ham Radio into the -unduly- "very restrictive basket, meaning fewer will go for it, as soon as they learn about this kind of silly rule.
After we need more Hams & people who know Electronics... so, let's call for what the gov't has called for, with a slight twist:
"One New Ham for Mum, One New Ham for Dad, [both licensed Hams], -AND- One New Ham for the Country!"
73 ;-)