Amateur radio recruitment

[222DBFL]

Not to change subject here, but I saw a funny post on another forum. A new tech licensed ham asking what he needs to complete a simple mobile install. He stated he knew he needed wire and an in-line fuse, but had no clue as to what else he needed. I truly thought it was quite funny and also sad as well. I had to ask how in the heck he passed the test LOL!! And also told him to go back and get his learn on instead of wanting everything handed to him on a silver platter!! He stated he was young, but that is no excuse is it?? Hopefully this isn't the way things are headed. As if so, it's really sad!! JMHO. Sorry if I offend anyone, but dangit man, something isn't right if this is the way things are headed!! Again, JMHO.

 

[Sonar]

The Field Day thread was kind of veering off into recruitment for a bit so rather than reply there I'm starting this thread.

Recruitment is kind of a touchy subject it seems. It seems as though we've had sort of a caveman approach to recruitment, i.e. got out and club 'em over the head, drag 'em into a testing session, tell them to have fun in the hobby, and then wonder why they're never seen or heard from again. Perhaps that is merely my perception as I've never had success with the caveman approach.

When asked I explain amateur radio and the hobby aspect. I have learned that amateur radio only appeals to a vanishingly small percentage of the population. Its appeal is higher among RF technologists but even there the interest in radio as a hobby is probably far less than 50%. Nearly 100% of the people who have asked me about amateur radio over the years have not pursued getting licensed. Most likely this says more about me than the hobby.

As a result I've given up on the caveman approach and don't support others who pursue that avenue. Am I wrong? I would gladly help anyone who approached me with an interest in getting licensed, but I'm not out beating the bushes trying to drag anyone into a class for a hobby they didn't even know about beforehand. I'd really like to see more activity locally but it seems without dragging them in, they'll never approach on their own. My conclusion is that radio just doesn't fascinate people any more and that saddens me.

This became a bit more of a rambling missive than I intended. I am heartened by a couple of younger guys who are enthusiastic. Perhaps they will generate some local interest.

I can't imagine someone winning over your average Joe or Mary into becoming a licensed ham operator who has almost no interest in radio communications in the first place.
It would be like an automobile mechanic dragging a complete stranger off the street and into his garage.
Then asking them to draw a diagram of a disassembled carburetor.
The caveman approach as you call it could never work unless you knew the person you're trying to recruit has an interest in the hobby from the git go.

 

[RatsoW8]

And now the ARRL is petitioning for an entry class license with a test that's easier to pass than the current entry level license. How much easier can it be? I've seen posts on other forums by hams with new extra class calls asking for help building a simple dipole or hooking up a wattmeter. I don't get it. A license class for people who can't memorize enough questions and answers to pass the easiest test?

One day the requirement for your license will be for the VE to check for a pulse. Got one? Yes! Congratulations!

 

[StrangeBrew]

.... asking what he needs to complete a simple mobile install. ....

First you need a car.



Most people who would be interested in ham radio and aren't already exposed to it by a friend/family member are probably already involved with CB, figuring out how to improve relations between hams and CBers is the challenge.

 

[Obed]

And now the ARRL is petitioning for an entry class license with a test that's easier to pass than the current entry level license. How much easier can it be? I've seen posts on other forums by hams with new extra class calls asking for help building a simple dipole or hooking up a wattmeter. I don't get it. A license class for people who can't memorize enough questions and answers to pass the easiest test?

One day the requirement for your license will be for the VE to check for a pulse. Got one? Yes! Congratulations!

I find this post interesting.
I did not really mind doing away with the CW exams, I took them but in truth did not operate CW myself and I found the "I did it, so they should have to do it" to be a childish argument. I do think however that the method of testing we have today does lead to the dumbing down of the hobby. I too have noticed extra class operators who know nothing more than how to turn on their rig...like you say they do not know how to build a simple dipole antenna. I think the system needs to be changed up a bit...maybe an easy entry level class but make it a bit more challenging than memorizing responses to questions...as it now stands, no understanding of the answer is actually required...I would actually favor a time in grade plus a written and operating test be given for advancement...but I am old and just like many old folks, do not see what has happened to amateur radio as an improvement.
I know some folks want the numbers, but numbers do not make the service more useful if those numbers are inept.

 

[w9cll]

ARRL is scarred, the numbers (by their claims) are going up but there are less people on the air. The government and big business want and will pay good money for our frequencies. In an attempt to bolster the numbers they want to make it easier to get in. Ham is dying and needs to be bolstered to survive but dumbing down the testing is not the answer. Ham radio had a good run but consumer technology is killing it.

 

[DainBramage]

And now the ARRL is petitioning for an entry class license with a test that's easier to pass than the current entry level license...

I was just n the arrl site and couldn't find anything like that,......got a linky?

 

[RatsoW8]

I was just n the arrl site and couldn't find anything like that,......got a linky?

Well crap I got sucked in to a trolls post on another forum without verifying the info. My bad

So, the first sentence in my post is internet hogwash. The rest it still true.

 

[DainBramage]

...So, the first sentence in my post is internet hogwash. The rest it still true.

Dayum!!!! you been hanging out on 7.200 or even 3.980???.

 

[RatsoW8]

Dayum!!!! you been hanging out on 7.200 or even 3.980???.

I plead the fifth. I'm not an attorney but sometimes I play one on 3.980 Mhz Over.

 

[Tallman]

I too have noticed extra class operators who know nothing more than how to turn on their rig...like you say they do not know how to build a simple dipole antenna.

I'll bet they could not pass the new extra exam. The new EXTRA is way more technical than the old question pool.

 

[2RT307]

I was astonished at some of the misinformation that was provided by some extra class operators over the last couple of years, and a lot of this stuff I knew from my c.b. days.

I am finding that there are actually quite a few good Elmers out there, and they all have videos on YouTube. Lots of people live in remote areas, and don't get to go to club meetings or field days. So I think it is cool that these fellas offer their knowledge via internet videos.

I'll bet they could not pass the new extra exam. The new EXTRA is way more technical than the old question pool.

I have heard that, too. A bunch of extra's at our last club meeting said it was REALLY tough.

73,
Brett

 

[Obed]

I remember a time when the extra exam was not all that bad. The tough one was the advanced class exam. The extra seemed easy after that...
and back in the day, there was no question pool...
you studied the book, and what ever was one the test is what it was... there was no memorizing correct selections...but folks today do not have a choice, they take the test the way they are ..... my wife got her extra that way...she does not really understand everything an extra should, but she has me to do what ever she needs...my son is still a general and has not really expressed an interest in an extra class license.

 

[RatsoW8]

I remember a time when the extra exam was not all that bad. The tough one was the advanced class exam. The extra seemed easy after that...
.

I agree. They seemed to back off on the Extra written a bit I'm thinking because you had to pass the 20 wpm code test. Crying twice in one day would have been a drag.

I passed the Advanced and Extra written exams in one session in 1988 and then came back a few month's later for the code test when I could comfortably copy 25-30wpm. I only got to use my assigned Advanced call KE8RW for a few months before I was assigned WO8J. No vanity calls then.

 

[N0NB]

I can't imagine someone winning over your average Joe or Mary into becoming a licensed ham operator who has almost no interest in radio communications in the first place.

I wholeheartedly agree! But doesn't it seem as though that's what recent recruitment efforts have been of late? That's the kind of thing I'd like to see us get away from. I just want to figure out how we can put ourselves out there. Our club president does maintain a club page on Face Book. As I'm not registered to that system, I don't know if it's being viewed by others than club members.

As for a new entry level license, my understanding is that this is an initiative by the new ARRL CEO and is at this moment to be studied by a committee for a recommendation.

While I really don't want to see a proliferation of license classes again, I'm a bit dissatisfied with the way the current classes lay out. I think we could look at how other countries handle their licensing and adopt some ideas that are more in line with our international neighbors. It seems as though no one has really ever been happy with Incentive Licensing that was implemented in the late '60s but no one in a position to do anything about it wants to admit it.