ad: UR5CDX-1

Growing Ham Radio -- PART 3: Club Promotion

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by K8QS, Mar 26, 2021.

ad: L-HROutlet
ad: l-rl
ad: Left-3
ad: abrind-2
ad: L-MFJ
ad: Radclub22-2
ad: Left-2
  1. AA7BQ

    AA7BQ QRZ Founder QRZ HQ Staff QRZ Page

    Gee, this reminds me of the old software engineering axiom: "The attributes are Fast, Cheap, and Good. Pick two of those."

    You can't have a population of so-called "quality hams" and at the same time attract new members in sustainable numbers. In other words, there aren't enough quality people out there to make such a proposition work. WA9TDD has it exactly right - the Maker community is the closest thing that exists to the Heathkit builders of the 1960s and '70s. We've just opened up a new Makers Corner forum and I've started posting some of my hobby projects into it.

    If the goal is to fill a VW Bus with quality hams, then it will probably be successful. What about those who are hams but don't know it? What I'm talking about is exposing people to ham radio so that if there is a spark inside, it might just ignite a lifelong passion. There could be some great ham innovators out there who simply haven't discovered the hobby yet. If we're going to throw down a bunch of eligibility requirements just to come into our world and take a look around then we're dismissing a significant number of people before they even learn about us.

    Don't kid yourselves either because there are some great non-hams out there that we could all learn from. We don't know what kind of ideas they might bring to the hobby because we don't know what we don't know. Do we seriously want to lose out on some of the brightest minds of our era because of our exclusivity? Okay, so I hear you saying "NO! We want those people, we just don't want the stupid appliance operators"! How then, do you differentiate between them? What's your basis for determining "quality"? Name another hobby, any other hobby, that acts like this. Maybe the Mensa Society?

    Ham radio needs to be the most welcoming and inclusive hobby on the planet if it is to have any chance of surviving.

    73 -fred
     
    N1IPU, K4FMH, N9LCD and 3 others like this.
  2. WB4JHS

    WB4JHS Ham Member QRZ Page

    Back in the 70’s one club in St. Petersburg Fl had an Elmer program where they would loan out an HW-16 for 90 days to encourage getting a license. If they got their ticket the radio was available at the club’s cost and they bought or built others or found used rigs that they refurbished.

    The new comer had skin in the game and actually made a deposit for the loaner. A great time of trust. Great YouTube!

    john
    WB4JHS
     
    WQ4G, WA9TDD and NJ4Z like this.
  3. NJ4Z

    NJ4Z Platinum Subscriber Platinum Subscriber QRZ Page

    The FCC and The ARRL are looking in to exempting those under 18 from the fees, at least that is what I have read in several articles. I am not sure of the impact on the at large public, if the $35 fee will prevent folks from join us in the best damn hobby on the planet!!! de NJ4Z 73
     
  4. NJ4Z

    NJ4Z Platinum Subscriber Platinum Subscriber QRZ Page

    Fred, that you for all you do for the hobby, I check QRZ everyday and use it for logging, also am a platinum subscriber. It is great to have people join us in this hobby, we really need yo make sure these folks get on the air, I was talking with an ARRL section manager and he said the ARRL has data that if a new licensee does not get on the air in the first year there is only a 12% chance they will ever get on the air. We really need to help new hams getting on the air, this will preserve our hobby, that we love so much and it will also help us grow. We all know the passion for this hobby can be infectious. If each new ham entices 2 people to join the hobby in the first 3 years the growth will be amazing. I am doing my part I have bring 7 people in the hobby in the past 4 years, just by talking ham radio with them and showing the power of Ham Radio. I agree with most of your comments, with the exception of testing... if we open this up without some sort of skin in the game, I think we will doom the hobby, it will become modern CB. We try to reward at least one new ham every testing session with a Radio, we as a club do not have the financial resources to do more even at $20-30 dollars a radio. That can easily translate to $150.00 a test session and $1800.00 a year. At this point we are not able to fund that. I know of at least one club that received a Federal DHS grant to supply a radio to each new Ham. I am urging our club to look into this type of grant. Again great insight Fred... all the best de NJ4Z
     
    WA9TDD likes this.
  5. WA9TDD

    WA9TDD Ham Member QRZ Page

    But just maybe, if someone would talk to those kids at an engaging kid level and show them what ham radio can do, it might spark an interest. Give a basic chat about what ham radio is, show them a video of kids in a classsroom talking on the radio to ISS, let them see how APRS can track a weather balloon around the world, let them have a quick chat on an HT. Kids are not dumb nor uninquisitive. Make a presentation that they can understand that has them leave going WOW! It might apply to some adults too.
     
    WQ4G and W5MOY like this.
  6. K3XR

    K3XR Ham Member QRZ Page

    I'm guessing you were not all that surprised by the use of the "baby sitting" aspect of this activity. On the positive side if they have a "cell phone in hand" that should alleviate any concern about their being able to afford a testing or application fee.
     
    WQ4G likes this.
  7. N9LCD

    N9LCD Ham Member

    [QUOTE ]Today you can buy a new dual-band HT for roughly $100 and a lightly used HF rig with more capability than anyone ever dreamed of 20-years ago for less than $500. Yeah, that's $600, but that's equal to or less than the cost of a decent new smartphone (assuming you bought one outright vs. paid for it over time with a contract) or an Xbox Series X.[/QUOTE]

    LET'S FOCUS ON HOW MUCH HOW MUCH IT WILL COST TO PUT THAT $500 OR $600 RIG ON THE AIR.

    Probably another $500 or $600! Power supply; microphone; antenna tuner; antenna or material to build an antenna; safety gear - grounding and lightning protection; station grounding; "how to" books; basic hand tools; replacing incorrect purchases...

    Get 'em licensed and get 'em on the air!

    Not shopping for gear or parts to build something!
     
  8. AA7BQ

    AA7BQ QRZ Founder QRZ HQ Staff QRZ Page

    Thanks NJ4Z. I never meant to imply that I was against testing. I'm absolutely for testing in its present form.
    73 -fred
     
    NJ4Z likes this.
  9. W1YW

    W1YW Ham Member QRZ Page

    Fred is correct: we need to be more inclusive.

    Fred, it is the FCC that is blocking this. Many folks, K1BG in particular, have been trying to champion a NEW simpler-to-start entry class license, much like the now defunct Novice Class. As some of you may remember, I discussed this possible new license class over a decade ago, with an emphasis on digital.

    The FCC's position is that it is too expensive to invoke another new Part 97 license class--at the same time that they invoke a $35 application fee on newbies, that previously did not exist. (Some of you need to read that CAREFULLY--I am referring to the historical entry level license class for Part 97= no fee.)

    I suspect the FCC sees the overall Part 97 and sees growth and health. Thus smacking Part 97 with an application fee and no new entry class license.

    Obviously we do not agree with that.
     
  10. W1YW

    W1YW Ham Member QRZ Page

    Loaning out equipment to newbies is indeed a tradition. Thanks for reminding others about that John.
     
  11. N1IPU

    N1IPU Ham Member QRZ Page

    I would not fear lawlessness by getting new hams on the air. One just has to consider how many cheap Chinese handhelds have been sold to non hams and how little interference there has been. First off is programming the radio then there is knowing how to work it. Most interference is coming from licensed hams anyways.
    Only other thing is were Americans. We fought the greatest army in the world to create this country and won and a lot of other Army's since. Fear is natural but leading others into fear is not. Don't be led by fear. It's unamerican. Many are these days and we can see where it's going. Reject it.
     
    WQ4G, NJ4Z and K9GLS like this.
  12. K8QS

    K8QS Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    Fred --

    Excellent. And we can address this welcoming attitude and inclusivity at each stage of a person's development in the hobby -- from initial interest to getting a license, ongoing fellowship with other hams both on the air and in person, and mentoring of others. And we can do it with all potential audiences, such as the MAKER community that Tom, WA9TDD, my YouTube co-host mentioned. Watch for the next two videos in this video series on "growing ham radio." YCARS and other clubs are already doing it -- as we show in the videos. Let's learn from them. As Fred says, getting people on the air/active is critically important.


    Quin, K8QS
    Subscribe to "Ham Radio Perspectives" YouTube Channel:
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3MJT8o8-XMxF8XROf7Q5GA/videos
     
    W1YW and WA9TDD like this.
  13. W1YW

    W1YW Ham Member QRZ Page

    There are still many vintage HF transceivers going for $250 to $300. You are correct that you can have quite a nice (used) setup for less than $500 :)
     
    WQ4G likes this.
  14. KD5BVX

    KD5BVX Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    While I agree with most of what you said, this is a subjective statement (you made as fact) that isn't exactly true in all areas. In fact, I know that there is a local nightly CB net that is ran very professionally and that each night the net control promotes amateur radio and the local club. Because of this, a few people have become licensed (and upgraded) amateur radio operators and are active on ham...and active properly (meaning, they use ham as it's intended and not like CB). So, while your last sentence is true, it's not exactly accurate to claim that "CB is dead" when it's very much alive and well in many places...and for some (many?) is the stepping stone for entry into amateur radio.

    Locally, some of the teenagers have installed CBs in their lifted trucks and have long 102" whips (with 2 or 3 tennis balls on them...) and are running around chatting on them now and then. Is it a lot? No but I've seen half a dozen or so lately.

    So, CB is not anywhere nearly as popular as it was in the 60s and 70s but it's still around and still alive and, dare I say, well. In the least, it's certainly not "dead". It may very well be the breath that breathes life into the amateur radio hobby for someone.
     
    WQ4G and W9EBE like this.
  15. W1YW

    W1YW Ham Member QRZ Page

    Ham Radio Outlet has a small but prominent CB section with a totally adjacent section on 'how to become a ham' publications. It really caught my eye as a valuable option to those who want to find out more about ham radio, while recognizing that CB very much exists, and some CBers would become hams if they understood the option..

    Many ham radio kiddos started out as CBers through their single CB channel walkie talkies. I am one of them.
     
    WQ4G, W9EBE, NJ4Z and 2 others like this.

Share This Page

ad: M2Ant-1