[BCVHFA] Fwd: ARRL Great Lakes Division Election

[K8CM]

Forwarded as requested by Dan Romanchik, KB6NU

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>Let's Make Ham Radio Better
>
>Dan Romanchik, KB6NU
>734-930-6564, kb6nu at arrl.net, www.kb6nu.com
>
>I feel passionately that the Amateur Radio Service can still make a 
>difference in serving the emergency communications needs of the United 
>States, advancing the state of the art in communications, and in helping 
>to train the next generation of radio operators. Amateur radio has 
>certainly made a difference in my life. I was first licensed 34 years ago 
>at the age of 16 (callsign WB8KTZ), and my early experience with amateur 
>radio got me started in my career as an electronics engineer.
>
>More recently, I've served as treasurer and president of ARROW 
>Communications Association, an amateur radio club in Ann Arbor, MI. I am 
>also currently the Affiliated Club Coordinator for the Michigan Section, 
>and for the past two years, I've taught a General Class license course.
>
>Amateur radio and the ARRL face a number of difficult problems. Two of the 
>most urgent are declining membership (currently less than 25% of licensed 
>amateur radio operators are ARRL members) and diminishing clout in 
>Washington, but there are others. I think most of our problems stem-not 
>from the number of licensees-but from the number of active radio amateurs.
>
>While there have not been any scientific surveys, some estimate that up 
>50% of all licensees are inactive. For whatever reason, these folks lost 
>interest and are amateur radio operators in name only.
>
>This is a shame, if you ask me. Inactive hams don't show up for public 
>service events or work CW or experiment with circuits or send letters to 
>their Congressmen and Congresswomen.
>
>How can we encourage amateur radio operators to be more active? One thing 
>we can do is develop classes that will teach people not only what they 
>need to know to pass a test, but what they need to know to be successful 
>amateur radio operators. These include how to solder, how to make voltage 
>and current measurements, and how to make simple antennas.
>
>Better support for clubs is also needed. Clubs are where the action is. 
>Good clubs bring hams into the hobby and turn them into active amateur 
>radio operators. Bad clubs turn people away from amateur radio and foster 
>bad stereotypes about amateur radio and amateur radio operators.
>
>And finally, we need to start getting youth into amateur radio again. We 
>must show them how technically challenging ham radio can be, but even more 
>importantly, how much fun it can be.
>
>I'm running for Great Lakes Division Vice Director so that I can work on 
>these issues. With your support, we can make ham radio better.
>
>======== end statement ========