[HCARC] Keeping new hams interested

[Kerry Sandstrom]

Bill,

The problem of keeping new hams interested is a complex one.  Us old 
timers are part of the problem.  I don't think we emphasize the right 
things when we talk to new hams.  We talk too much about the "things" 
aspect of ham radio and not enough of the "doing" of ham radio.  New 
hams get wrapped up in the buying equipment and working DX aspect of ham 
radio.  I think there is too much talk about 100 foot towers, legal 
limit amplifiers, multi-kilobuck transceivers and internet connections 
to spotting nets, etc.  This isn't what I was taught ham radio is 
about.  First ham radio is about learning, learning how a radio station 
works including receiver and transmitter and antenna.  Second, it is 
about learning how to be a good operator whether it is CW or phone or 
digital.  Third, it is about learning the physics of radio propagation 
and being able to recognize what is happening to radio signals you 
hear.  Finally, it is learning how to communicate with other people.  
"599 STX" or "59 South Texas" is not communication.  With ham radio, we 
have an opportunity to communicate with people from other states and 
countries, who are different ages and interests.  Seems to me we can 
tell them something more important than 59 South Texas.

There are so many different directions that a ham can take.  Bills 
direction is obviously VHF/UHF/microwaves.  I have done numerous things 
including some VHF, satellites and HF.  Others in the club have 
interests in 160 m, contests and emergency work.  There is plenty to 
learn and do in each area.  There are enough different areas so you 
should never become bored.  If you are tired of a particular area, just 
start something different.  Each area has its own technology and 
operating techniques to learn.  Different areas may require you to learn 
to operate your equipment in a different manner and perhaps require 
different accessories.  Part of the fun to me is adapting my equipment 
to new techniques, building whatever I need in the way of accessories 
and cables.  Just because you want to do something different doesn't 
mean you need to spend a bunch of money to buy something new.  Part of 
"old"ham radio was learning how to "make do" and to scrounge.

As an aside, in the old days, obtaining a ham license required 
considerable effort in studying for the exam and learning Morse code.  I 
think us old timers had a bigger investment in getting our licenses than 
the new hams do.  Part of the reason so many of us have stuck with it 
all these years is because of this investment. It kept us going until we 
had found something really fun to do. Once that happens, you just can't 
let go.

New guys,  you don't need huge antennas and kilowatts and brand new 
state of the art rigs.  It is much more the operator than the rig. Get 
on and learn how to operate and practice until you become proficient.  
Pick operating goals that are attainable, give you something to be proud 
of, and don't keep you going from one pile-up to the next.
For example, try to work all the counties in the state where you grew 
up, try to work all the call districts in Japan, try to work all the 
countries in South America, etc.  These are all fun to do and you can 
learn geography, radio propagation as well as how to operate .  That is 
what is important, not working 320 or so "countries".  Talk to the 
people you contact on the radio.  There are a lot of interesting people 
out there.  You will find out most people are running 100 W or less 
transceivers, many 20-30 years old and using simple small antennas.  The 
pictures you see on QRZ.com and in QST are not the only "reality".

73 all,

Kerry



On 6/18/2014 1:29 PM, Bill Tynan wrote:
> I echo Kerry's and Marilyn's praise of Harvey, Chuck and Mort for 
> their work on the club repeater. Though I don't use it much, it's nice 
> to know that it's there when you want, or need, to use it.
>
> As to Gary's comments as regards "old hams," being one, I agree.
>
> Yes we need to convince more younger people to get into the hobby, but 
> one of the secrets to that is, instilling in them, a love for radio 
> propagation. (How and why does it vary from hour to hour, day to day, 
> month to month, year to year, wavelength to wavelength, etc? Yes, you 
> can talk to Europe, Africa, South America almost anytime on 20 meters, 
> but it's much less frequent on 15, 10 or 6 meters. That's why it's 
> more fun on those bands. Why does the propagation very so much with 
> the band?  And, it requires bouncing signals off the Moon to make 
> overseas contacts on 2 meters and the higher VHF and microwave bands. 
> Thus, when one does it on those bands, it's a BIG deal and FUN.
>
> Younger people can converse, and even exchange pictures, with other 
> people across the world via the Internet, so they don't see it as a 
> big deal (fun) to do so via HF ham  radio. But, using the Internet is 
> sort of like talking to someone across town on a repeater. It isn't a 
> lot of fun.
>
> Ham radio can only be made exiting to non-hams when they see how 
> marvelous it is that  radio signals they generate can traverse great 
> distances and end up in unusual places using a band that doesn't often 
> support such propagation.
>
> So, while we're encouraging new people, especially younger ones, to 
> obtain amateur licenses, let's try to convey to them the magic that is 
> radio, including the variability associated with it. It's the 
> variability that makes it fun. That's why, talking to someone on a 
> repeater, though it can be useful, isn't much fun. Talking to the same 
> places day after day on 40 or 20 meters doesn't seem like fun to many 
> of us either.
>
> So, yes, get them on HF, but inform them that there a whole different 
> set of challenges on 6 meters and the higher bands. And working other 
> amateur stations on those bands is FUN.
>
> Yes, ham radio can be FUN. We need to convince new people of that.
>
> Those are my thoughts.
>
> 73,
>
> Bill, W3XO
> 125+ countries on 6 meters, lost track of the number of states on 144, 
> 222 and 432 MHz.
> Holder of one end of the North American DX record on 2304 and 3456 MHz 
> by working two different stations in Florida. Yes, I've only done it 
> once, but it was FUN then and still is recalling the excitement of 
> making those two contacts.
>
> PS:
>
> I had fun working stations during the VHF Contest last Sunday morning 
> in OK and AR on 50, 144 and 432 MHz. Tropospheric propagation on those 
> bands is an entirely different phenomenon. That's what makes it FUN.