Its a matter of getting other squads to join - not individuals. I have only participated in one, but having read the long list of rules and regulations, it is clear that the primary structure is at a squad level. So if the problem is activity, then the solution is to recruit squads.
Mind you, it is only recently I learned that you can join squads for different parts of the game (MA, AvA, etc) and perhaps that is where some good recruitment can be done - if there are leaders to form them of course.
Overall, I think FSO is a gem in AH as well as in online-gaming as a whole and hope to participate as often as I am in developed countries (I move around a lot).