DSTAR is moribund, to say they least.
My club was HUGE into DSTAR, and still runs a DSTAR repeater, and net. It helps that ICOM is a half hour or so from here. (well, 45 minutes. On a good day...)
The issues you cite are common: Lots of folks getting licensed because they want to operate 2m/1.25m/70cm handheld, as part of CERT/S&R, etc. So they get a technician license and don't even think of going further.
Which is fine, as far as it goes, and some of them will discover contesting, CW, DX, etc. I myself got into amateur radio for EmCom, and that remains my primary interest. I have an HF rig, but have not set it up, and it will probably be a while before I do, to say the least. But after last nights meeting we were discussing the possibility club events besides Field Day, meetings, EmComm, and the occasional Public Service event. Can we run a contest as a club?Or have one of the DXers with a decent shack host a DX party? We're in Western Washington for pete's sake, maybe we could do a club Summits On The Air excursion. (
Pacific Northwest Summits On The Air.org)
Those interested in improving the state of amateur radio in the US may be interested in this site:
myARRLvoice