Young Hams Are Not Plentiful

[kb9zue]

I am a young ham and I don't know any other young people on ham radio. Is there anyone else in the same situation?

[kf4lne]

When you say young, do you mean like below age 95? I know the situation, there don't seem to be many area hams in the same age range as me and the few of my friends who have joined the ranks. I am 23, but I imagine you want to know if there are other hams who are even younger. I have heard several hams on some of the repeaters in my area who are in the 10-15 age range, but most of them were the offspring of hams. Hope you find the younger crowd, but it maybe that they have found a nice, secluded frequency somewhere like a lot of other hams of similar ages and intrests.

[WB2WIK]

KB9ZUE: I find lots of "young" hams (early teens) on the HF bands and enjoy chatting with them. I was 13 when I was licensed, although that was 37 years ago now (!http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif but I still remember the feeling.

I go out of my way to chat with younger hams, and help answer questions, help install antennas, talk their parents into letting them install antennas (!http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif and so forth. It's really fun, and rewarding.

If you're not on the HF bands as yet, do what you need to do to get there. I find "homework nets" on 15m SSB and 40m CW, etc. I've broken in to find out who the people are, and they're mostly high school students.

WB2WIK/6

[KD5KUF]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (kb9zue @ April 09 2002,15:25)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I am a young ham and I don't know any other young people on ham radio. Is there anyone else in the same situation?[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
I know where you are coming from. My son is 18 and has had a license about a year now. So far he has talked to 2 people besides me. He is very uncomfortable speaking to someone he doesn't know, as he doesn't have anything to say.
I know school kids would disagree but more emphasis should be placed on reading and presenting reports out loud in class. And I don't know of a high school in my area that supports a debating team. If all the conversation kids get is among themselves they are ill prepared for dealing with the more mature &quot;real world&quot; out there.
Just remember, we were all young once too. (some of us anyway). Try a few friendly questions such as, &quot;what kind of rig are you using?&quot; or &quot;what is it like where you live?&quot; if talking DX. I hear many people (especially new hams, all ages) desperately wanting to talk to someone and when they get an answer, they start trying to close the QSO and sign off. Just relax and since you got the ball rolling just play it by ear and see how the responder wants to proceed. In fact the only time you should really keep it short is if it is rare DX or a contest is in session.
Chew the rag till it falls apart, then start another ragchew and soon you will be logging 1/2 to hour long QSOs too. (My record to date is 3 hours, and I am considered shy). http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

ps: type &quot;younger hams&quot; into a search engine and check out what is offered there. Yahoo groups had a younger ham group page at one time.

[kz9u]

Its true there aren't a lot of young hams any more. Part of that, I think, is because the OLDER hams aren't doing enough to make it interesting. Each of us needs to do our part to get youngsters (Spoken from the point of view of someone who is 34 years old) into the hobby. JOTA (Jamboree On The Air) is one way.. But I wonder how many OTHER activities are geared towards younger crowds? Maybe what we need is a WAT (Worked All Teens) award that would be issued to people with QSL cards from someone in each of the &quot;Teen&quot; years.. Or perhaps addendums to the WAS and DXCC awards giving merit for operators under the age of 20 accmoplishing them. Something. Perhaps the ARRL could add a newer category for Field Day for &quot;Youth Operators&quot; Allow them to operate under a call assigned to a youth, even if it is at the same site as their parents, but count their contacts separately. Just some thoughts. Because if we can't get younger people into the hobby, there won't be much of it left in all too few years. For my part, I'm bringing some friends' kids out to Field Day to let them operate under my call for a while. I've already set up a &quot;test&quot; setup for FD and let them see a bit of how it works. Would have let them operate some, but rain called the day. The more people try to encourage their kids, or their friends kids, or their grandkids, to get into this hobby, the longer there will BE this hobby.

Stepping down from the soapbox now..

N9KZU - Mike

[KA7RRA]

Go to www.eham.net and then click on forums and look for youth hams or some thing like that
Dave...

[kf4lne]

http://www.eham.net/forums/Youth

QRZ should add a forum like this...Eham youth forum (http://www.eham.net/forums/Youth)

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif I was a young ham in the late 60's, and I'll have you know I still am! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

73 de Craig..........KCØGOA http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[w8ob]

I did not check what class of license you have but if you can get
on the HF bands in the afternoons there are several school club stations
on the air. I worked a couple of 14 year old YLs from a station out west
a few weeks ago. Welcome to ham radio and don't give up keep looking

[Phineas]

There is one sure way to get young people into Amateur Radio. When we have field days and events, all you have to do is supply some hip music, free food, and the opposite sex. They will come http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif #

When I was comming up, you would not believe what some of us guys got into just because there were cool chicks going to be there.

Marketing is another thing. Let someone like the Backstreet Boys, Busta Rhyms or one of those girlly acts come up with HAM callsigns, the radio waves would be crowded with young people.

Just a crazy thought.

Phineas
KC0LSC

[W0BKR]

You first must define &quot;young&quot;. Some of us are older then dirt.
However, to answer your question, I have seen, heard and worked a large number of &quot;young&quot; amateurs, that is, those below the age of 20.

I hear them on the novice bands (which I work frequently), and I hear them on 2 meters, whenever it is I am on there (not much any more these days). If you can, get on HF and work in the novice bands, or listen on 6 meters, there are many there.

To say there aren't many is like saying no one wears a shirt and tie anymore (depends upon where you look).

Hang in there.

Chris (not quite older then dirt, but getting there!http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

I'M YOUNG AND GOOD LOOKING,...... WELL I'M KINDA YOUNG.

#http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

[KD7QWD]

I am new to HAM radio, being 14 i don't really know if that classifies me 'young' yet =) but i do know quite a few people younger than me who live where I live


(Tucson, Arizona)



KD7-QWD

[kd7qis]

To: Happy_Hamer

You are stupid in your comment. Any young people can post anything they want on the forum, as long as they can take the consequences. I am 14, got my license just before my 14th birthday, and am PROUD to be one of the youngest ham's on the air!!! It's nothing to be ashamed of, or to hide. Giving your call-sign out can give someone any amount of knowledge about you. Go to QRZ.COM and type in your callsign (assuming you have one) and see how much info they have on you for ANYONE to see (much like this forum)!!!

Anyway, now that I have that out of me, yeah. I don't think that there are very many young hams out there, but soon more people are going to get interested (I hope). I'm still glad I am not the only one...

[KD5SYH]

I have the same problem as you with Happy_Hamer's post. It is kinda &quot;over-protective&quot; to say the least; I especially don't like the part where he says for the post to be deleted, but thats enough bitchin from me.

Anyway, I too am 14, I have been licensed since I was 12, am not a nerd, am very technically inclined, and love DXing and electronics/antenna construction (I came from the 11m band and not ashamed to admit it). However, I am only a technician but at least I get to experiment with 2m troposheric propagation. I wish I had room/money/permission for a good antenna system, but oh well...I used to mess around on 6m, but with 1 watt CW it tore everything up so it had to go (by order of neighboors and houshold authorities). I semi-enjoy SW-DX (SWL but with a tase for DX), and can't wait to take my CW test in a week and hopefully pass it (most likely fail and try again in a month).

I love tube equipment (tubes are the best) and I currently use a Hallicrafters S-118 and have a Kenwood TS-830S on its way. I am by no means rich; all my antennas are homebrew (a 2m J-pole and a 2m dipole, soon to be a modified ratshack fm antenna modified for 5 elements on 2m SSB/CW, and a homebrew multi-band dipole) and my equipment is very far below spectacular, even though my Kenwood TR-7400A with 30w out and no tone board is one of the best sounding rigs here in Corpus, better than alot of the ones that I have heard - thankfully we have at least 1 no-tone repeater (even though I prefer simplex, 80% of our 2m activity is on our no-tone wide coverage repeater).

I just wish that CW was not a test requirment, that would definetly (100%) bring many, many more people under 18 into the hobby. That is a fact, plain and simple, and the only reason there is lobbying to keep CW as a test requirment is to limit the number of HF operators to a privilaged few, the very thing you don't want to do if you want teens or kids involved in ham radio. I could go on and on on this subject, but I'll save it for another post...

In the next 2 weeks, my shack will consist of these radios: Kenwood TR-7400A 2m FM (already in use), Kenwood TS-830S Tube-Final HF (WARC cap.; on its way), and an Icom IC-271A 2m All-Mode (25w, on it's way)

Way better than my current TR-9000 2m allmode with all of 10w out and a mediocre rec. and S-118 for listening to the HF bands.

C U all later, hope thaat is enough personal info for &quot;happy_Hammer&quot; lol!

TNX &amp; 73's,
Fabian C.
KD5JDG

P.S. Please see my bio on QRZ's callsign server for updates and more bitchin' 'bout the CW issue! LOL!

[NN6EE]

You've got to be kidding!!!

One gentleman made a posting earlier on in this thread stating that it was up to OLDER HAMS TO GET THE YOUNGER ONES INVOLVED!!! WRONG!!!

I got into the great hobby by picking up a CQ magazine in my Jr. High School library many flipp'n moons ago!!! I just read through it and I was hooked!!!

Why does everybody have to, it seems, be FORCED into anything??? Did a OLDER PERSON force a kid to get a
COMPUTER AND GET ON THE INTERNET??? OF COURSE NOT!!! The youngster wants to do it because ITS COOL!!!

Most of us OLDER GUYS should know that our parents earlier told us and warned us about many, many things, good and bad, DID WE LISTEN??? HELL NO, we had to find out for ourselves, usually THE HARD WAY!!!

It's up to THE YOUNGER BOYS AND GIRLS WHO ARE ALREADY LICENSED TO SPREAD THE WORD, BECAUSE THEIR PEERS WILL LISTEN TO THEM, not we older guys!!!

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif es Good Luck!!!

Jim/nn6ee

[K9STH]

In terms of there being an age limit as to being able to post in the Internet, to my knowledge, there is none. #If there were such a federal law, then there are a lot of persons violating it! #The only thing that even might be &quot;construed&quot; as having an effect on posting is the fact that various states have laws against requiring information like address, telephone number, etc., for purchases by persons under a specific age (usually 12 or 14). #But, that does not apply to the Internet. #The Federal Government has tried to &quot;stay clear&quot; of regulating things on the Internet. #Primarily, regulating posting to the Internet by a minor is the responsibility of the parents or legal guardians.

To my knowledge, the youngest that an amateur was licensed was 4 years and 7 months (there may have been someone younger since then). #Both of his parents were amateurs and the son wanted to get started as well. #When he took the code test for his novice (this was back when you had to have &quot;perfect&quot; written copy), he used a crayon and wrote very large letters. #Thus, he had to use both sides of the paper. #The person who was giving the exam at first refused to turn over the paper and tried to &quot;fail&quot; the boy since there were less than 25 letters on one side of the paper. #However, the examination was given as part of a class and the older members of the class threatened the examiner with bodily harm if he did not turn the paper over! #Why the examiner did this had no basis in FCC regulations. #When the paper was checked, the boy had well over the required letters for passing.

When this amateur was less than 30 years old, he became the youngest member of the QCWA (Quarter Century Wireless Association). #At that time, his mother was the secretary of the organization. #This was &quot;written up&quot; in QST when the amateur became a member of the QCWA along with the story about his code test. #He had been licensed continuously since he was 4.

In terms of getting the younger generation interested in amateur radio, the best recruiters are those &quot;youngsters&quot; who are already licensed. #They interact with their peers much more than any adults. #Also, the suggestion that having members of the opposite sex around is a &quot;two forked devil&quot;. #Many adolescent boys are very &quot;shy&quot; around girls. #It is not until the opposite sex has been &quot;discovered&quot; that there is definitely an attraction. #That can happen anywhere from around age 10 until college age. #It seems that boys who are interested in technical things &quot;discover&quot; girls at a later age than those who are more interested in sports, etc.

I do know that in the northern suburbs of Dallas, Texas, the amateur radio clubs are actively recruiting middle and high school students. #There are several two week summer &quot;camps&quot; (full days for 2 weeks) that are offered by the Collin County Community College District (&quot;junior college&quot;) that teach the necessary theory for Technician and General Class licenses plus two 1/2 hour code sessions each day. #I have presented my lightning protection and grounding seminar at some of these &quot;camps&quot;. #The staff at CCCCD has had a very good percentage of those who attend pass (over 95 percent) at least their Technician Class, and about 20 percent their General Class.

Anyway, amateur radio has a definite &quot;up hill&quot; battle when competing with the Internet and computers in general.

Glen, K9STH

[KD7KOY]

You kow he has a point...I was a hippie...
Any old hippies out there? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[KD5SYH]

There is one problem with being 14: RFI!

No one seems to understand that it is not my fault, no matter what i say. They believe that my transmitter is acting illegaly and has a problem and is thus: broken!

Sad isn't it? I've had other hams try to explain, had them read articles, but they just don't listen...Oh well. I think some lobbying needs to at least be tried to the TV &amp; telephone manufacterers so that they are at least aware of the fatal flaws in their designs. don't leave out the Sattalite Reciever companies, the preamps or whatever they when the dish box is off and the local cable passes through makes an exellent 6m reciever; come on, 1 watt of CW and it interferes! Thats insane...

I just hope I don't have the same problems with HF when I get on; I remember that I did used to run 60w to an 11m dipole at only 12' pointed right at the neighboor's house and he never complained, now thats encouraging (however, when I had my A99 up at 20' that thing RFied everywhere with even just 5 watts)! Lets just hope that 40, 20, and 10 follows suit...Maybe some public awarness that RFI is not caused by us but by Panasonic may help alittle...

TNX &amp; 73's,
Fabian C.
KD5JDG