[HCARC] Keeping new hams interested

Wed Jun 18 17:45:38 EDT 2014

"  We talk too much about the "things"
aspect of ham radio and not enough of the "doing" of ham radio"

AN INCREDIBLY INTERESTING COMMENT - NEXT YEAR YOU SHOULD STAND UP IN FRONT 
OF THE CLUB AND DISCUSS FIELD DAY (or any other thing that requires some 
participation by club members - ask Terry Hipskind).  IF WE CAN"T SUPPORT 
FIELD DAY THEN WHAT DOES THAT SAY FOR HELPING THE "DOING" VS THE "STUFF" 
PART OF HAM RADIO???  I HEARD MORE PEOPLE TELLING ME LAST MEETING THAT THEY 
WEREN'T GOING TO BE ATTENDING, THAN I HEARD WOULD BE ATTENDING.  Heck, I 
even offered free brisket to bring some people and still have no idea how 
much brisket to bring.

When was the last time that a club member opened up the club radio for Techs 
to operate - I know when it was and who opened the station - I was there and 
Gale Heise was the Control Operator - OVER TWO YEARS AGO!!   Enough said.

Gary J
N5BAA

-----Original Message----- 
From: Kerry Sandstrom
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2014 3:02 PM
To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net ; Bill Tynan
Subject: [HCARC] Keeping new hams interested

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.

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