[BARC-List] TAKE YOUR HANDHELD TO WORK DAY: A Ham Event for All of US

[Arthur Ashley]

    Source: The ARRL Letter, Vol 25, No 24

==>SECOND ANNUAL "TAKE YOUR HANDHELD TO WORK DAY" SET FOR JUNE 20

   The ARRL apparently struck a chord in 2005 when it initiated "Take
Your Handheld to Work Day." Radio amateurs who participated last year
report they were able to introduce many new people to Amateur Radio.
Whether any of those co-workers became hams themselves as a result
isn't known, but this simple activity offers a great opportunity to
demonstrate and describe Amateur Radio to others and to talk up its
benefits. So, the League is doing it again this year.

   "On Tuesday, June 20, we encourage every ham radio operator across
the country who owns a handheld transceiver to take their little
radios to work if they can," says ARRL Media and Public Relations
Manager Allen Pitts, W1AGP. "By wearing it on their belt, setting it
on a desk or just making your radio visible, the goal is to have
co-workers ask, 'What's that?' In this way, the hams will be able to
share about the fun they have with Amateur Radio."

   Pitts encourages hams not only to show the capabilities of their
handheld radios, but to invite co-workers to actually give them a try
-- under the licensee's supervision, of course -- as the Amateur
Radio rules allow. 

   ARRL member Ted Homan, WB8WFG, says he tried the idea on his own
about 15 years ago. One of his co-workers, Pete Engel, saw his
handheld-an Icom IC2-AT--and "had to have one," Homan said. "Now he
is N8OGW, and several members of his family are also hams now. In
addition, Homan reports, several inactive hams at his workplace were
inspired to get back on the air.

   "This is a very good way to show off Ham Radio," he concludes.

   "Take Your Handheld to Work Day" is a chance to have a lot of fun,
recruit new hams, invite people to Field Day, get publicity and show
off Amateur Radio," Pitts points out. "Many people would like to have
the capabilities of ham radio in a crisis, but don't know where to
start. The best recruiter is another ham. I hope you have fun and
make the most of it!"

   A heads up: On June 20 between noon and 1 PM in your local time
zone, be on the lookout for surprise messages from ARRL. By using
modern digital radio technology, EchoLink and a few other tricks,
random participants from locations around the country might be
spotted on the air by W1AW and win a prize.
************************************************************
   This is posted in connection with Eric K1NUN's Elevator Speech
Contest at the 2004 BARC Holiday Party.

Arthur  N1NHZ, 73
Boston Amateur Radio Club
Membership Services






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