Amateur radio recruitment

[WMS]

What's a Ham Test ?
One USED TO need a License for CB or 11 Meters... No more...
So why do I need a License to talk on a Radio ?
So I can supply the Government with more $$$ to misappropriate ???
The Government gets enough $$$ from me already...

 

[N0NB]

What's a Ham Test ?
One USED TO need a License for CB or 11 Meters... No more...
So why do I need a License to talk on a Radio ?
So I can supply the Government with more $$$ to misappropriate ???
The Government gets enough $$$ from me already...

Actually, the government doesn't get a dime for amateur radio licensing these days. The exam fee is split between the volunteer examiner team and the Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) both of which are private concerns. Even vanity callsigns no longer incur an FCC fee as of almost a year now.

It's a free country (so far). If you're happy operating CB, that's fine by me.

@BBB

I've no problem welcoming anyone with an interest in radio to join the ranks. Where the spark comes from is immaterial to me. That said, CB isn't very active around this area either. If you listen long enough you'll hear a trucker. Not many CB antennas are seen on vehicles these days and even fewer on homes or other buildings around here. For most people radio is a means to end, if they're even aware of it, not an end unto itself.

 

[BBB]

Understood. We live in a very large metropolitan area ripe with future amateur radio operators. It isn't a week or two that goes by that don't I hear some one keying up their old CB (or their father's or grandfather's) for the first time in decades.

Once they get over the fact that there actually are well mannered radio operators still out there we try to get them to return. Especially Wednesdays nights when the Classic Radio Round Up Show airs. Hopefully we can converse with the returning folks before they hear "Shut up stupid". I'm sure we loose a few future operators when they get an ear of that stuff. Some things never change

 

[Soup-man]

I didn't read the whole thread....but I'll respond to your first post.

I'm a new inexperienced ham operator. I'm 34. I'll give my perspective. You're right, it doesn't appeal to anyone anymore. Kids today grow up with cellphones and laptops than can talk to people half a world away a lot cheaper and easier. Why would they be interested in us trying to show them century old technology? The ones that are interesting in engineering will be.

I have a few years electronics engineering education. Therefor I have an interest in engineering, and HOW IT WORKS. 99% of the population doesn't care about HOW something works, as long as they know it works and its difficult to convince them its important. I feel engineering students and geeks will always be into stuff like this. Unfortunately I forgot half of what I learned by now.... My 92 year old grandfather sort of got me into radio at a young age, then when I got older I have a really smart/geeky friend that got me interested again....but I already learned a lot of the basics in school. I'm also a bit of a "survivalist" at heart. My grandpa gave me his radio a year or 2 ago as his health is failing.

Everyone at the testing center was happy I showed up, and were enthusiastic about the hobby but you're right they pretty much said get your license and have fun! I got my general...and that was it.

I got a radio, and had no idea what to do. My smart buddy helped me mount a couple antennas and gave me the crash course. The learning curve is high, and a lot of the really knowledgeable folk have little patience for talking newbies thru it, and explaining questions and stuff we have. I'm from the internet generation, and am used to looking things up online, but online and on the radio itself, some people tend to look down their nose at people who are just trying to learn.

My advice is, if you want people to join up, TOLERATE their uninformed questions, and if the question is wrong or stupid, EXPLAIN why its the wrong question, politely.

Overall so far, my experience has been mostly positive, but I only use the radio once in a while and forget things and need to ask a dumb question once in a while and some people have been really unhelpful.

This hobby will continue to get smaller and smaller unless we do ALL we can to encourage it. The inquisitive kid still will always wonder how and why his wi-fi works, and what led to it being invented. Nurture those kids. They are asking the dumb question because they are not as smart as you, but the interest is there or they wouldn't be asking. Help them learn to BE as smart as you someday. Its hard for me to answer old timers PC questions as I'm an IT guy, but I taught my 92 year old grandpa that gave me the radio to use a PC! He's still learning though too.

Try 6 meters, the band is open, just say CQ CQ CQ CQ 6 meters, Your call phonetically, Your call phonetically CQ 6 meters, and you will have more people come back to you then a possum has ticks.

 

[Soup-man]

Try 6 meters, the band is open, just say CQ CQ CQ CQ 6 meters, Your call phonetically, Your call phonetically CQ 6 meters, and you will have more people come back to you then a possum has ticks.

Forget about G5RVs and non resonant antennas, put up a simple dipole antenna for 6 meters, no tuner necessary. Call your butt off, and have a ball. No one I know of will say anything negative, unless you are camped out on the calling frequency.

50.180 Mhz USB is the best place to get your feet wet.
If the people wants to talk to you, they will turn their knob until they hear you.
You can talk as little or as long as your please, and there isn't a bunch of LIDS with amplifiers and Beam antennas trying to steal the frequency away from you, or talk over top of you.

 

[jon666]

Forget about G5RVs and non resonant antennas, put up a simple dipole antenna for 6 meters, no tuner necessary. Call your butt off, and have a ball. No one I know of will say anything negative, unless you are camped out on the calling frequency.

50.180 Mhz USB is the best place to get your feet wet.
If the people wants to talk to you, they will turn their knob until they hear you.
You can talk as little or as long as your please, and there isn't a bunch of LIDS with amplifiers and Beam antennas trying to steal the frequency away from you, or talk over top of you.

i never hear anyone on 50.180 usb.possibly i just have my radio not on. when they are talking.

 

[Soup-man]

i never hear anyone on 50.180 usb.possibly i just have my radio not on. when they are talking.

What I have to explain to most non hams and most licensed hams that only has a walkie talkie and a Technician Class License is that 6 meters is both local and more then local when the band opens up. But as long as everyone is stuck on a FM repeater, you will not hear anyone on 6 meters unless you first put up an antenna, and listen and call CQ. It's not broadcast radio, there is no radio programs, and there is no one on 6 meters 99% of the time. Unless you live someplace like Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana - you are not gonna hear much during the day on 6 meters. Places like Florida where the band opens up sometimes for months at a time, it is so commonplace that many of the operators there will sit and rag chew, just because it isn't rare. As 10 meter band openings becomes fewer and fewer, more and more people have been attracted to 6 meters SSB. The small size of the antenna, and even being able to use a dipole antenna makes it very attractive.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

i never hear anyone on 50.180 usb.possibly i just have my radio not on. when they are talking.

Me either. That's why I hang around 50.125 MHz which is the national SSB calling frequency. 50.105-50.115 is the international calling frequency however I find most DX ends up on 50.125 to call and QSY's up from there.

 

[w9cll]

i never hear anyone on 50.180 usb.possibly i just have my radio not on. when they are talking.

I used to run 6 a lot using an Icom 551D and four elements at 60'. Its a fun band when its open and a wasteland when not.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

I used to run 6 a lot using an Icom 551D and four elements at 60'. Its a fun band when its open and a wasteland when not.

Boy isn't that the truth. Here at 45 degrees north the band is not open nearly as much as further south but when it does it really opens good. I started 6m with an icom HF rig and a Ten-Tec 1208 transverter I built from a kit. Twelve watts into six elements at 42 feet and I had many contacts into Europe and even the Canary Islands. When the band is closed nothing. Notta. Zilch.

 

[w9cll]

I gave up on 6 years ago, not worth the investment anymore. If I want to play I will load up the dipole with the tuner and have at it.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Well I have had the antenna for years and it was home made so no investment in money. My HF radio covers 6m as well so again no investment of money. I do not bother with 6m unless it is Es season or unless the propagation charts show something. I see it as free entertainment.

 

[RatsoW8]

I was a CB'er for 48 yrs and now an Amateur Operator for three years.
I aced the Technician and missed only one on the general. I am also studying for my extra right now.

Aren't we just all CB'ers who realized there was a lot more to do than to be locked into 40 channels? I saw the light in 1987. Good luck on your Extra!

 

[Road Squawker]

...One USED TO need a License for CB or 11 Meters... ...

That CB 'license" is not a license at all, yeah, it was commonly referred to as a license, but, the fact is that it was really a PERMIT.

There is a legal difference between a permit and a license. For a license to be issued, there must be some test or demonstration of certain skills, a permit does not require that.

you filled out the form, paid the fee, and they sent you the PERMIT.

 

[2RT307]

I gave up on 6 years ago, not worth the investment anymore. If I want to play I will load up the dipole with the tuner and have at it.

I've been thinking of building a Moxon for 6, just for fun. I've been seeing a lot of 6 meter action on the spots lately.

73,
Brett