[Elecraft] Effective ways to introduce amateur radio to newcomers?

[Fred Jensen]

Very good point!  Providing communications for charity runs, rides, and 
the like is an excellent way to put ham radio before the public.  Such 
events are nearly always conducted on VHF/UHF using HT's and smaller 
mobile radios which just happen to be the class of radios the vast 
majority of today's new hams are interested in.  An example is the Baker 
to Vegas annual run supporting law enforcement.

One warning:  Not all are for charitable organizations.  Don't run your 
radio in support of those that are run by private 
individuals/organizations.

73,

Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County



------ Original Message ------
>From "Bob McGraw via Elecraft" <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
To elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Date 9/3/2025 9:21:45 AM
Subject [Elecraft] Effective ways to introduce amateur radio to 
newcomers?

>Public visibility of amateur radio goes a long way.  Set up HF stations at local events, county fairs, city events, bicycle races,  city wide yard sales, etc.   HF is important showing world wide communications of people talking to people.   Use minimal equipment and basic wire or simple antennas.   KISS is the principle to employ.   Don't extol the $3000+ station appearance. Stay away from Morse code and digital operations.
>
>  I've never been a fan of demonstrating repeater operation.  Cell phone communications quickly blows the repeater idea away.
>
>73
>
>Bob, K4TAX
>
>>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>Message: 1
>>Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2025 16:44:24 +0000 (UTC)
>>From: John Magliacane <kd2bd at yahoo.com>
>>To: Josh Fiden <josh at voodoolab.com>
>>Cc: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Effective ways to introduce amateur radio to
>>	newcomers?
>>Message-ID: <841724487.1106674.1756831464772 at mail.yahoo.com>
>>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>>
>>   On Tuesday, September 2, 2025 at 11:56:53 AM EDT, Josh Fiden <josh at voodoolab.com> wrote:
>>
>>>Would calling it an ?avocation? make you feel better?
>>>
>>>73,
>>>Josh W6XU
>>
>>I prefer "Amateur Activity", as described by Robert A. Stebbins, author of, "The Amateur: Two Sociological Definitions". Simply put, Amateur Activities are activities performed for personal interest rather than financial gain that have professional counterparts, and occasionally interact and cooperate with professionals. HamSCI is an excellent example of this.
>>
>>So, just as we have Amateur Astronomers, Amateur Photographers, Amateur Historians, and Amateur Radio Operators, we also have Professional Photographers, Professional Historians, and Professional/Commercial Radio Operators, etc.
>>
>>
>>73 de John, KD2BD
>>
>>------------------------------
>>
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>>End of Elecraft Digest, Vol 257, Issue 3
>>****************************************
>-- Patience please; Rome wasn't destroyed in a single day!
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