View Full Version : Teaching the Hobby
KC0OFZ
01-27-2004, 03:09 AM
In my area I have a good number of techs willing to upgrade and do element 3 and a few even want to tackle element 1 inspite of what may happen in the future. Now don't turn this into a code debate, if they want to learn code that is when I offer help. The crux of this thread is this. I feel it an honor to have another ham willing to learn and me ask for help on issues they don't understand. I am more than willing to show them that upgrading is not something to dread but something that builds on what you already have. Truth be told I get more out of it then the learner does at times because I have to know it well enough to teach and elmer, so it is a win for me as well.
I would like to ask if others find the same joy in helping out a fellow ham understand and respect this hobby.
73
KCØOFZ
K0RGR
01-27-2004, 03:22 AM
You betcha...
I could not agree more . I have and always will , help anyone with code or anything else for that matter . All they gotta do is ask . If , I don't have the answers they need , then I'll do my best to find that info , or try to find someone else to help . For anyone wanting to help someone with their code speed , or to improve their own code speed . Check out : www.hamhq.org . That is what that website is all about .
w5alt
01-27-2004, 04:01 AM
Absolutely, as long as they want to learn and do their part.
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (KC0OFZ @ Jan. 26 2004,23:09)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">...if they want to learn code that is when I offer help. #
73
KCØOFZ[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Does this mean you specialize your elmering to helping others learn code, (which is perfectly fine and noble)...
--------------OR-------------
...are you saying that you won't offer to help them at all, unless they want to learn the code (which is not so fine or noble) ?
Please don't take this the wrong way, I only ask out of curiosity.
I only wish that there were more around with your attitude, Arend !
There are a lot of good, old-fashioned hams out there that would just love to be able to share the excitement and fascination of their hobby with others.
In the "old days" a ham's residence was easy to spot because it was usually obvious due to the 100 foot tower in the back yard, with the 6 element beam up at the top! Well, maybe not all the hams were so lucky, but a lot of them were.
Now days, housing authorities etc. have really put a crimp on things, and it is not so easy to go riding around on a bike ( I'm talking about young recruits here ) and looking for the house with "the big antenna in the back yard"!
I find a place to fill a need by answering questions here on qrz.com. But there is a need for many to be an "Elmer" in the old-fashioned manner, as well.
I just wish that there was a bit more evening and weekend "free time" to carry out that aspect of the hobby!
Heavy sigh ! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif Oh well, thank goodness for qrz.com ! It really does help a lot of people ! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
73 from AG3Y
KD5WBJ
01-27-2004, 06:15 PM
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (N8YV @ Jan. 27 2004,07:23)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif9--></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (KC0OFZ @ Jan. 26 2004,23http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif9)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">...if they want to learn code that is when I offer help.
73
KCØOFZ[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Does this mean you specialize your elmering to helping others learn code, (which is perfectly fine and noble)...
--------------OR-------------
...are you saying that you won't offer to help them at all, unless they want to learn the code (which is not so fine or noble) ?
Please don't take this the wrong way, I only ask out of curiosity.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Well,
I'll not put words in his mouth,but I took that to mean he isn't willing to help the ones just sitting around waiting for the ARRL,or FCC to bail them out of the misery of actually having to put out a little effort.
I feel the same way.
Mike
KC0OFZ
01-29-2004, 04:53 PM
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (N8YV @ Jan. 27 2004,07:23)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (KC0OFZ @ Jan. 26 2004,23<!--emo&http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">...if they want to learn code that is when I offer help. #
73
KCØOFZ[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Does this mean you specialize your elmering to helping others learn code, (which is perfectly fine and noble)...
--------------OR-------------
...are you saying that you won't offer to help them at all, unless they want to learn the code (which is not so fine or noble) ?
Please don't take this the wrong way, I only ask out of curiosity.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Not a bad question at all and no offense taken.
I am willing to help out on element 3 as well, or what ever they wish to learn, whether they wish to learn the code or not. #I just don't offer as much to those who have no desire to learn and are content waiting for a free hand out.
73
KCØOFZ
"Not a bad question at all and no offense taken.
I am willing to help out on element 3 as well, or what ever they wish to learn, whether they wish to learn the code or not".--KC0OFZ
Thanks for your reply! #There's nothing wrong with teaching only the code (I am a TERRIBLE code teacher, and will not waste a student's time with my bumbling, "swiss-cheese" keying http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif ) but I sometimes feel that both Technicians and potential elmers often overlook the technical stuff.
I have often found, in conversations with new recruits and even some Technicians, that radio fundamentals and operating aspects of HF are just as much a hurdle, if not even moreso, than code.
Memorizing test answers is the worst way to obtain a license. I cannot change the fact that these answers will be made available to everyone, but I can certainly do my part to help others understand WHY a particular answer is what it is and, more importantly, why the question is asked and how it applies to amateur radio.
It can be seen here on QRZ and other ham websites, every day; #new licensees, asking questions straight out of "Radio 101" that the written tests did not help them in any way, to understand. #This is not the fault of the licensee, it's the fault of a failed testing and elmering/mentoring structure.
In my opinion, the days of yore when the kindly neighborhood amateur operator would take a bright-eyed kid under his wing and teach him/her to be a ham, are gone forever. #The concept of the responsible, cardigan-sweatered, pipe-smoking elmer spending a few hours in a pleasant, suburban Saturday afternoon QTH with a local ham wannabe, was lost decades ago, as nearly as I can tell, somewhere between "Leave it to Beaver" and the Kent State incident.
Elmering is a disappearing art. #Those who oppose modernization of the old elmering concept are living in the past, or consigned to the belief that "ham radio is dying". #The dynamic of today's amateur needs has changed. #Mentoring is a pro-active concept, rather than a passive one. #The "kid down the street" isn't available and isn't interested, anymore. #Don't expect him/her to come to YOU.
It is also apparent that there are far more new hams, than there are "elmers". If passing on knowledge to new operators is to be done at all, it is to be done by taking the initiative. #The challenge is to beat the internet and incentive licensing shortcomings, by making mentoring available by other means
---in other words, to bring elmering out of the realm of the past, and promote it through (for lack of a better term) advertising.
Incentive licensing has made it possible to generate thousands of licensed amateurs, many of whom are now stuck in VHF-land with their HT's and left clueless other than to wait until code goes away. #Many have not advanced beyond the Tech class, because they are deemed unwilling to learn the code.
So, if they are taught the code without skills in the other, more important areas---or, if code testing goes away and they haven't the foggiest idea why there are no 20-meter repeaters---then, either way you look at it, amateur radio has a huge problem looming ahead.
We can whine and bitch all we want about the code/no code issue, but let's face it---until many of these Tech-locked operators are MOTIVATED to learn the code, INSPIRED to advance themselves, and given the TECHNICAL training to truly appreciate the world below 30 MHz, they aren't going to have the chance to positively impact ham radio.
I don't think it's fair to limit one's willingness to helping only those wanting to learn code, at least not before making an effort to reach them on the other levels. #I hope others will agree.
(Sorry for the lengthy reply) #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif