[Fists] More on "Hello"

[Jeff Davis]

Since my previous comments on the "Hello" thread had
several replies on the list and quite a few more
directly I want to clarify a few points...

First, when I said that the "Hello" campaign didn't
cause my daughter to take interest, I sure didn't mean
to start a thread about "these kids today want
everything handed to them". I never said that nor did
I mean that, though it has been implied in some of the
replies. In fact I believe quite the opposite - we
older people are HANDING them everything when they'd
really prefer the challenge of getting it for
themselves.

Most of you are probably like me - on the back side of
40 (to be kind). While I am not quite an antique yet,
I do remember the days before color TV. I remember
listening to shortwave broadcasts on an old
Hallicrafters receiver that glowed in the dark. Being
able to build a transmitter, push a key and have
another ham four states away answer me was indeed
magic. It still is for me and I'm sure that it is for
you too.

But this is not at all unique for our kids today. In
fact this generation is the most "connected" in all
the history of human kind. You'd be foolish to think
that kids today would find simply talking with someone
in a faraway place "magic". After all, they do it all
the time with Instant Messaging, VOIP, and cell
phones. In fact the only time most kids are AMAZED by
communication technology is when there is NO cell
service where they are!

For that reason, I wrote that the ARRL "Hello"
campaign seems terribly naive to me. If you want to
get kids interested in electronics and communication,
get them to build something and help them make sure it
works. Then when they push the key and make a contact
it IS unique because none of their buddies are
building their own cellphones! :-)

There are so many COOL things to do in ham radio that
go far and beyond just TALKING to someone else.
Granted, you might enjoy a casual ragchew and I know
that I certainly do too. But you won't attract many 17
year-olds with the promise of having simple VOICE QSOs
. 

There has to be more to this hobby and we all know
that there is. But getting our national organization
to understand and believe that is nearly impossible.
The good folks in Newington sound like a broken record
to me. They seem to think if they can eliminate all
the technical hurdles to licensing, and eliminate that
pesky code requirement then the masses of young
newbies will pour in.

They've been stuck in that mode for at least a decade
and so far as I can tell, they still don't "get it".

73, pound brass es smile every now and then,
de Jeff, KE9V
FISTS #6641