Your Opinion Needed

[KB1LQD]

hey everyone, It's good to be back and checking out the forums, although I've been extremely busy with school and crew. Don't come to RIT for engineering if you wanna slack off! Anyways, A question that I've been pondering for a while and have drawn some of my own conclusions.

Preferably for the younger op's:

What do you want from the hobby?
What do you think the ARRL should do to get more younger hams?
What do you think they should focus/ not focus on?
What other areas can the hobby accel. in to get a younger base?

In other words, I strongly believe that the youth in the hobby will be a major part of gaining more younger hams, almost like a "youth community" that can relate to the interests of today's day and age. Anyways, I should get to back to my physics homework!

[KJ4AZX]

--A good understanding of radios and how all of this stuff works.
--Definitely advertise more and have displays at librarys. Librarys are very good places to have demonstrations.
--?
--Contesting and talking on 2 meter bands is kinda fun.

[KJ4CYM]

I am not completely sure what I want out of Ham Radio. I want to understand radio from a technical aspect, but I also want to put it to good use, such as emergency services and volunteering, as well as contesting and just talking with people.

In relation to attracting younger Hams, I belive that the ARRL and Civil Air Patrol are both not taking full advantage of each others pool of potential members, (at least within the areas of CAP I have worked with.) This probably isn't the fault of anybody other than not knowing the extent of the MOU.

I would definitely recommend emphasizing how easy and inexpensive it is to get into this hobby. Whether you agree or not with the removal of the CW tests, it is a plus that might make people on the fence be more interested. Also, they should reiterate how a license good for 10 years! (That seems like a very long time for us youngins!)

More inexpensive, quality, beginner-level radios would be helpful! Maybe the ARRL could have a "Join ARRL, get a free radio" thing for new licensees. I am into other hobbies that already eat a ton of cash, and I had no idea that the radio bug would bite so hard!

[va7aax]

Here is one thing I want to see happen: either ARRL or it's canadian counterpart RAC , should do is have a "Youth Only" Radio Loan.It should have a time period of 6-10months right after they get their licence.Also included should be a list of ham clubs in the area around

Why I am suggesting this is when I got my licence,I didnt know any ham, whether there was any club.So I was actually inactive for the first 6 months when I got my ticket.

73 de va7aax

[KD0BRD]

I have to agree with you, va7aax. It would be great to have the "Youth Radio Loan". I know that I really don't have much money to spend on expensive radios.

Isaac

[WS2L]

LQD

The ARRL has been trying to figure out the answers to those questions for years now. When I got my license in 1978 at age 14 you either accepted things the way they were or you got out of the hobby.

There was a time that the Novice license was a 2 year term NON-RENEWABLE.

You could not take an upgrade exam until you were licensed for one year and then you either upgraded and went on with ham radio or you didn't upgrade and your license expired. If you failed an upgrade exam you had to wait 30 days before you could try again.

Back then no one was worried about the number of USA hams and weather the numbers were going up or down. Some point along the line I guess someone realized that not only were the numbers going down but the average age of ham ops was going up. The ARRL needed to figure out not only how to get more people interested in ham radio but also how to get younger people interested.

The way testing is now I wish it were like that 30 years ago, I would have upgraded to extra a lot earlier than I did.

[KB1LQD]

good points W2SL, I agree with most. Although I do belive the ARRL and the ham community focuses too much on younger children, my beliefe is that we should be focusing on High School and College age groups... Thats when most young adults start making long term dicissions for themselves and begine to find out what they like to do.... I think we should find a few good topics that todays later aged teenagers are interested in and go for it. I'd like to see the ARRL maybe form a commitee of volunteer young adults that want to try to develop ideas in this area. I think a strong community of young hams is a great idea, it's ok to have a seperate "community" that caters younger hams, I think that sense of involvement is key. This doesn't mean that it could be totaly seperate, thats not the point at all, but more in the sense that we find a way to link younger hams together automaticaly. I'm kinda drawing off the area of example such as sports teams... there are different age leagues that get the same ages group together but It doesnt stop either from interacting at all. One group might be more competative where the other is more relaxed and wants to just have fun.

I hope this made sense and got accross the correct way, I should get back to my physics homework! I've pooled this idea from reading this topic and others generaly on this area from the internet.

[kb1oev]

I agree that one of the best ways to get young people to try radio is to have it introduced to them by other young people.

I am a member of Boy Scout Venture Crew 510, and amateur radio is our main activity. The crew call is NE1C for New England's #1 Crew, and our number just happens to be DX in roman numerals. We have set up stations at numerous Boy Scout events and have provided communications for many others. When young people see scouts operating that are the same age or even younger than they are, it is much easier for them to relate the hobby to themselves than it is when the OP is as old as their grandparents. Having a crew also gives them a group to join, which provides opportunities to get into the hobby without having to purchase equipment. We also run classes to prepare them for taking their license tests.

Having more groups like this would almost certainly help to get more youth into radio. It may not be easy to get one started, but once it is, all you need to do is be visible in the community and set up a few demo stations to start recruiting new hams.

[kc9ldg]

I think somehow schools should have information about the hobby of ham radio. I know i didnt even know what ham radio was untill about 2 years ago when a teacher at my school who is a fellow ham told me about the hobby. So I really think schools should offer informational packets about ham radio and as a couple people said libraries should carry more information about the hobby.

[kb3laz]

I think somehow schools should have information about the hobby of ham radio. I know i didnt even know what ham radio was untill about 2 years ago when a teacher at my school who is a fellow ham told me about the hobby. So I really think schools should offer informational packets about ham radio and as a couple people said libraries should carry more information about the hobby.

Thats a great Idea however I doubt it will ever happen. In high school my science teacher didnt even know what amateur radio was(thats sad). But now hes a ham so I guess students can teach the teachers.

[kc9ldg]

HA yep that is true i know that ive taught a couple teachers things about ham radio. My Geography teacher actually first got me into ham radio and he is trying to get other people in our school to become hams.