ad: elecraft

ARRL Kids Day disappointment

Discussion in 'Contests, DXpeditions, QSO Parties, Special Events' started by WA7ZAF, Jun 17, 2018.

ad: L-HROutlet
ad: l-rl
ad: abrind-2
ad: L-MFJ
ad: Left-2
ad: Left-3
ad: Radclub22-2
  1. WA7ZAF

    WA7ZAF Ham Member QRZ Page

    Well, if kids are the future of amateur radio, then sadly, amateur radio has no future. I spent today knocking the cobwebs off the station in my fourth grade classroom. I had to pack everything up and put it in storage before school let out about a month ago. In spite of several messages going out to parents over the past few weeks, only four students showed up for the event. I had hoped for more, but the four who showed up had enough enthusiasm for ham radio to make up for the lack of numbers.

    We had a great time with soldering projects, dissecting a balun, fox hunting, and on-air time. The local hams on the repeaters were relly great in spending their time patiently working with my fourth graders as they awkwardly worked their way through each contact.

    The big disappointment came with our attempts to work HF. We called CQ on 20 and 40 meters until the kids lost interest with no response. We listened several times during the afternoon and never heard a single kid's voice on the air. I came home to look here in the forums to see how everyone else did today and to my dismay, not a single recent thread about kids day. Well, at least I'll have four hams to talk to when I'm old and have nothing left to do but spend time on the air.
     
  2. N1RV

    N1RV XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    I agree. I only heard and worked a few kids today all on 20m . my daughter age 7 made 17 contacts and loved every minute of being on the air. She wants to bring a copy of all her contacts to school to show her friends and teacher what she did. Good to hear you did your best to get the kids interested! Wish I was able to work you and the kids 73s
    Kc1ede
     
  3. WA7ZAF

    WA7ZAF Ham Member QRZ Page

    Thanks. I had 25 kids in my after school amateur radio club this past year and they were all invited back for today's event. All incoming fourth graders were also invited. I realize that it's summer and families are out enjoying themselves. That's why I wasn't too disappointed with our poor turn out today, but it really was sad to hear so little Kid's Day activity on the air.
     
    N1RV likes this.
  4. AG3Q

    AG3Q Ham Member QRZ Page

    I saw a few on the DX cluster, but could only hear one station in WI on 20m from my east coast QTH. Logged him and posted the call on the cluster. The bands seemed pretty rough today, hoping next weekend is better for Field Day.
     
  5. WG7X

    WG7X Platinum Subscriber Platinum Subscriber QRZ Page

    It's not only that there were no participants on the air for "kids day" its just might be that conditions were/ are so bad that there is very little activity period.

    These current HF conditions are the worst that we have seen in decades. It is making it hard for all of us to have a good conversation on HF these days. Then, when you add in the usual summer doldrums, it just gets even worse.

    By-the-way as long as we are on this subject, kids are probably not going to be a good target audience for ham radio. That is, unless you consider a guy (and it's usually a guy) in his mid thirties to be a kid. Ham radio's target audience should be folks in the 30-40 age range. Kids are OK too, but let's face facts here: most of them would consider ham radio to be an "old fart" hobby. They can do better with the ever present "screen" to play with.

    Just my opinion.
     
    N5RFX likes this.
  6. W4POT

    W4POT Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    So a Saturday during summer break isn't the best time to hold a Kids Day event? :rolleyes:
     

Share This Page

ad: Alphaant-1