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How to Grow Ham Radio -- Part 2: Attitude

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by K8QS, Mar 18, 2021.

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  1. K8QS

    K8QS Premium Subscriber QRZ Page



    Special guests John (NJ4Z) and Steve (W3SPC) of the growing York (SC) Radio Society join Ham Radio Perspectives for Part 2 ("Attitude") on how to grow the hobby by cultivating positive attitudes on the air, online, and in clubs. Grateful, positive-minded hams attract similarly grateful people, thereby building the hobby. Critical, ungrateful hams drive others away from the hobby. Ham Radio Perspectives (subscribe on YouTube) is hosted by Tom (WA9TDD) and Quin (K8QS).
     

    Attached Files:

    KB6OVO, W9EBE, K8VSY and 3 others like this.
  2. K9GLS

    K9GLS Guest

    Going to get my bowl of popcorn out for this comment section. Should be required viewing for anyone that signs up for a QRZ account.:D WA9TDD... you being from Westport I think I know what club you were referring to.
     
    G3SEA, WA9TDD and NJ4Z like this.
  3. NJ4Z

    NJ4Z Platinum Subscriber Platinum Subscriber QRZ Page

    Bowl of popcorn... required!!! :) de NJ4Z
     
    G3SEA and WA9TDD like this.
  4. WA9TDD

    WA9TDD Ham Member QRZ Page

    Gary, I don't kiss and tell, but I will admit that it is one of three in the area.
     
    NJ4Z and K9GLS like this.
  5. K9GLS

    K9GLS Guest

    I'm glad to know it wasn't just me. The club I'm thinking about didn't say a word to me. I wasn't even sure I was in the right location. Short presentation, minutes everyone dismissed and I just sat there. I got up and slowly walked out wondering if I might not be invisible. Not one word. I chose not to go back. Anyway now for the kissing and telling part of my comment... I love the Westport Dairy Queen but I digress. 73 Sir. Excellent video.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 19, 2021
    KD9FEK and WA9TDD like this.
  6. VK7HH

    VK7HH Ham Member QRZ Page

    Flame suits are usually required that's for sure!
     
    NJ4Z likes this.
  7. N1IPU

    N1IPU Ham Member QRZ Page

    Many clubs I have been to have been exclusionary by nature. A few though were stand up guys willing to help anyone. Just a member of one now that is very good and works hard to make it so. I think though that other than clubs we have to work towards helping those coming up as we come across them. Its not hard to Elmer someone. Just have to be careful though as I have run across quite a few who are just wanting to take advantage whether parasitic in nature or just plain lazy either intellectually or physically.
    As far as the net goes it is what it is. Just a cross section of the madness society suffers. Whether its the profiteers selling equipment or looking to short sell other hams or the Youtube salesmen and celebrity seekers or the Stockholm syndrome authority lovers and self appointed experts we are overfull. Of course lets not leave out the sport steam mentality either brand name or politics. The net is like Times square on a hot summer day. Not a place for children or weak minded folks.
    Lot of things to avoid here including janitors with a Jack Dorsey mindset on most sites today.
    Best we can do here is like mentioned in the video is reach out to the poster on a personal level by e-mailing them. We are fortunate that most posters here can be reached that way and I met some real nice folks that way. A couple of us do some radio qso's when we can now and am thankful for them contacting me.
    My only big issue with the net as it stands is having to swim through a ton of manure to get to any valuable info when one has a question. Haven't figured out a way around that. It just is what it is.

    I guess the best point I can make is when you come across a club or group doing good work do your best to support them and when you come across a newbie with questions in public have a smile and a nice response. (of course mind the face diaper issues)
    Having an extensive mobile setup attracts attention so along with that put a nice face on it when someone has questions. Hooked a few that way.
     
    KF5KWO, KR3DX, K9GLS and 2 others like this.
  8. W2JLD

    W2JLD Ham Member QRZ Page

    Why don't we just cut to the chase and come out and say that ham radio is not welcoming to everyone, ham radio is a very clicky hobby.........you listen to a repeater and hear someone calling cg....and he gets no response, but as soon as one of the local yocals is heard, its busier than a beaver building a damn.

    I hear it all the time, bunch of good ole boys chatting along and then someone comes in to make a comment and he is ignored.

    went to a ham radio presentation and i felt like i had covid-19, not one person greeted me, not one person said anything they just went off to their little groups chatting and pointing.

    was on a net earlier this week and some alpha hotel got on and start swearing on air and then it was like someone dropped off a bus of cber's...all hell broke loose.

    how can we set an example of good amateur radio ethics when you hear a bunch of grown men talking smack, you hear them talk about the yester years and the good ole days.......

    yes positivity is clear a factor of getting into this hobby of like minded people, but why should we sugar coat things just to get people involved..........people will learn alot by just listening and yet no one does that any more. they just pick up the mic and rudely interrupt nets, cant listen properly...use bs phonetics......its like once you get your so called "ticket" its a ticket to an amusement park full of quarky people, freaks shows.

    when getting your ticket there should be a disclaimer to sign
     
    W2CPD, K4MID, KN4SKF and 3 others like this.
  9. KA4TMT

    KA4TMT Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    You really hit that one out of here! Your mobile comment is something a lot of us including me should ponder. How often and how many people come to your house to see that cool ham shack? People don't join or attend clubs anymore, the closed and falling down Elks, Moose and associated lodges of the past in every town across America prove that. At a softball game, a beach park, in the parking lot at work early, are all places you run into people and a great place to give them a peek at ham radio. People don't knock on your door at home and tell you how nice your house is or ask about your backyard antenna but they will walk right up to your car and tell you how much they like your (jeep, corvette, mustang, 4X4) or ask about your cool antennas.
     
  10. KA2FIR

    KA2FIR Ham Member QRZ Page

    “you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink”
     
    NJ4Z and K1LKP like this.
  11. N1IPU

    N1IPU Ham Member QRZ Page

    Thank you sir, It works for me. Be at the park, supermarket or whatever I usually get a questioner every so often. I ask them for an email and send them a bunch of links to start. Mostly prepper's these days, especially at the range. I tend to see them buy Chinese radios so have programmed a few for them. Don't care where they start as long as they start.
     
    K4MID and NJ4Z like this.
  12. N1IPU

    N1IPU Ham Member QRZ Page

    Like I said above the most serious guys I find come from the prepper community. They tend to be serious as interested in emergency comms. I do agree though your experience parallels mine.
     
    NJ4Z likes this.
  13. VE6CLG

    VE6CLG XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    As a new operator, thanks for this video, I found it interesting.
    My club experience is just beginning, as a new member of Northern Alberta Radio Club (NARC). I haven’t had the opportunity to go to a meeting or a for coffee, and starting on HF, haven’t joined local VHF/UHF nets run by the club, so we’ll see. My first event may be my last, or the start of a long set of friendships.
    That said, this conversation is not specific to ham radio, but applies to clubs of any kind in general. As a golfer, I can tell you you will hear many of the same issues when it comes to growing the hobby and the joining a golf club. Is it going to be a cliquey bunch of old farts sitting around bitching about the 10th green and female players, or a fun, welcoming bunch? You might find people that think you have no business on the course before 10 AM if you can’t hit a 250 yard cut stinger on command. Hopefully you find a group that says “we’re heading out, join us”.?

    73
    [/QUOTE]
     
    K4MID, NJ4Z, K8QS and 1 other person like this.
  14. K8QS

    K8QS Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    [/QUOTE]

    Great points, Cal. We are talking about human nature, not just ham radio. But as we will unpack in a few follow-up videos, when the "positive persons" decide to get together and make positive things happen, the negative folks for the most part will eventually tag along.
    Quin, K8QS
    Subscribe to "Ham Radio Perspectives" YouTube Channel:
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3MJT8o8-XMxF8XROf7Q5GA/videos
     
    K1LKP likes this.
  15. WA9TDD

    WA9TDD Ham Member QRZ Page

    [/QUOTE]
    Cal, best of luck with NARC or finding another club that is inviting and helpful, they ARE out there. If all else fails, if you find other local hams that are of a welcoming nature, create your own circle of friends. Quin and I as novices had the good fortune of connecting with other local hams and created our own group with our own nightly 10 meter net and had at least one night a month fellowship meeting in somebodies ham shack. Others will follow if you create the group or club that you want to become. 73, Tom
     

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