[Fists] ARRL: Hams say "Hello"

[Jeff Davis]

You're right, there is nothing particularly "anti-CW"
about this campaign. It's more "anti-sophisticated".
It purposely paints a picture that amateur radio
communication is simple and doesn't require much
technical acumen. Just take a quick, easy test about
some rules and regs then buy an off the shelf handheld
and SHAZAM! Now you're talking!

I have four children, the youngest is 13 and of that
crew, only one had enough interest in the hobby to
actually get a license. This despite the fact that
they lived with me and were exposed to RF their entire
life.

Let's face facts and not stick our heads in the sand -
ham radio is NOT for everyone. Some people see the
challenge it offers and seize it. Most do not.

Every attempt that's been made to "grow" the amateur
service through trivializing it has failed miserably.
The no-code technician license made lots of people
happy--for awhile. Then they all moved on to greener
pastures.  Ham radio was not as "easy" or as much fun
as they had been led to believe.

I asked my 13 year-old daughter to take a look at the
"Hello" Web site and tell me if it would convince her
or her friends to get involved in the hobby. Her
response?

"It's weird that they are using a WEB page to try and
tell people how easy it is to TALK to others. I am
chatting with three friends (using an instant
messenger client) while looking at that Web site ... I
can call any of my friends on my cell phone and talk
to them or exchange text messages all I want. Why
would I want to take a test, get a license, buy a
radio and put up an antenna when I can already TALK to
all my friends right now?"

I'd say my daughter makes an excellent point, even if
none of us like to hear it. Nobody needs ham radio to
TALK to anyone. Free nights and weekends on the cell
phone, instant messaging, text messaging, and voice
over IP has COMPLETELY eliminated the need for ham
radio--if all you are interested in doing is TALKING
to someone else. There HAS to be something more to
amateur radio than just TALKING to other hams because
otherwise, you are looking at the final generation of
the hobby.

If we want to "save" amateur radio then we need to
figure out what ELSE it's good for, because simply
TALKING to others won't attract enough of a crowd
these days to help pitch a Field Day tent...there has
got to be a challenge.


73 de Jeff, KE9V
FISTS #6641


--- W1EOF <w1eof at hamnutz.com> wrote:

> Well said John. It's important not to read too much
> into this. It's just one
> avenue of "reaching out" the public at large which
> is a great thing. Nothing
> anti-CW about it.