I'd postulate that anyone that has any interest will pretty quickly
find out about us. have internet access, you'll find us. Read a
newspaper, and there are several articles a year about the ARS.

Several articles a year out of how many thousand?

Would love to see a thousand per year or more! This would be more on the
shoulders of local groups, clubs and individuals to coordinate with local
media to make this happen. A person in every club, with the responsibility
of being the PR person would be a good goal. This person would be
responsible for contacting media outlets for every event, including open
meetings etc. I did the PR function for our local club for 2 years, and
even trained a neighboring club PR person with the techniques I had
utilized. I had created a quite a tracking system to keep track of media
contacts, upcoming events, and results thereof. I should write something up
on this to share with others eh?



Folks hafta know where to look.

Any time a ham radio related event is in print media, a website address
should be included in some way or another if the media outlet will do so.


Remember the movie "Contact"? Great opening scenes. But nowhere do they
mention
that what's going on is amateur radio!


I think actually there is some reference, but it is merely in a passing
reference. I would have to watch it again to make sure though. It's been a
while since I have seen that movie.....



I'd also bet that there really aren't that many people who are really
that interested in radio. That's okay. I don't pick my hobbies on their
popularity. I pick them because I like to do them.

Radio "for its own sake" has always been a niche avocation. I went to a
highschool (class of 1972) that had 2400 boys and a heavy academic
emphasis on
math and science. In my senior year there were exactly six licensed hams
there.
Of those six, three remained active long after high school. Now we are
two,
with the untimely passing of WA3RVT some years ago.


Hey.... I don't know what it is like around where you are at, but
unfortunately around here, electronics are no longer being taught as an
elective class choice. In fact alot of the "vocational" classes that one
could take as an elective in high school around here are being cut out. But
of course the sports and art classes are still supported.....



More publicity can't hurt. But amateur radio isn't a spectator sport - for
most, anyway.


Oh really..... then that statement in the past about 20% do most of the work
in groups and associations is wrong then??



--
Ryan, KC8PMX

"Symbolism is for the simple minded....."











--

There was a great article some years back which I will now paraphrase.

The author whose name escapes me now said that there were three basic
kinds of
hams - operators, communicators, and tinkerers. Or words to that effect.

Operators simply like to get on the air and make contacts. It's the medium
more
than the message, the skill as much as the results.

Communicators are there for the message. Radio is the tool to get the job
done,
that's all.

Tinkerers are into the technology of radio, the projects, etc.

Of course most hams a a mixture of all three, but you can see that the mix
varies widely in different individuals.

It's also clear that as things change, the attractions of these three
reasons
wax and wane.

Once upon a time, amateur radio attracted lots of communicator types
because
there were so few alternatives within reach of the average person. I
recall
reading of hams who got their licenses simply to keep in touch with family
members across the country or around the world. With the advent of
cellphones,
email and cheap longdistance, much of that is gone.

Tinkerers are still with us, but it's a different game now. In the past,
most
hams had to do some pretty serious tinkering just to get on the air - even
with
manufactured equipment. While that sort of thing is still around, it's not
so
prevalent as before.

Operator types are most numerous today, for obvious reasons.

The situation is analagous to cars - there are those for whom driving is a
joy
in itself, those for whom driving is a means to an end (transportation),
and
those who like to mess around with motor vehicles.

73 de Jim, N2EY

N2EY wrote:
In article , Mike Coslo writes:


Ryan, KC8PMX wrote:

(sarcasm mode on)

Since the entire public is completely aware of amateur radio, therefore

they

all are waiting for the code test to drop, then we should have huge growth
eh???

(sarcasm mode off)


Is the reason for low growth that people don't know about the ARS?


I'd say it's #1.

I'd postulate that anyone that has any interest will pretty quickly
find out about us. have internet access, you'll find us. Read a
newspaper, and there are several articles a year about the ARS.


Several articles a year out of how many thousand?

Folks hafta know where to look.

All I an say here is a related story. When I was the president of a
youth Ice Hockey association, to recruit new players, we took out ads in
the local newspapers, we took out ads on television, we posted ads on
the bulletin boards in most of the schools in our county, and We posted
flyers, professionally made by the Pittsburgh Penguins. association.

Then along comes a prospective player who's father gives me a dressing
down in the board meeting on how our association just can't survive
doing the poor job we do advertising. I listened patiently while he said
we should advertise in the local newspapers, on television, in the
schools, and in the Ice Rink.

I asked him how he found out about us, and he told me he saw the ad on
tv, and then in the rink. Go figure.

My point is that if prospective amateurs or skaters don't want to get
involved, there's no way we can stop them.

I don't think the ARS is an impulse hobby,the prospect has to want to
do it, and then has to look. Considering the small number of people that
even want to be a ham, a mass advertisement approach would be kind of
like spam.

Remember the movie "Contact"? Great opening scenes. But nowhere do they mention
that what's going on is amateur radio!

btw - the Vibroplex shown in that film is the very model and vintage I have
used since 1974.

I'd also bet that there really aren't that many people who are really
that interested in radio. That's okay. I don't pick my hobbies on their
popularity. I pick them because I like to do them.


Radio "for its own sake" has always been a niche avocation. I went to a
highschool (class of 1972) that had 2400 boys and a heavy academic emphasis on
math and science. In my senior year there were exactly six licensed hams there.
Of those six, three remained active long after high school. Now we are two,
with the untimely passing of WA3RVT some years ago.

More publicity can't hurt. But amateur radio isn't a spectator sport - for
most, anyway.

--

There was a great article some years back which I will now paraphrase.

The author whose name escapes me now said that there were three basic kinds of
hams - operators, communicators, and tinkerers. Or words to that effect.

Operators simply like to get on the air and make contacts. It's the medium more
than the message, the skill as much as the results.

Communicators are there for the message. Radio is the tool to get the job done,
that's all.

Tinkerers are into the technology of radio, the projects, etc.

Yay! Tinkering for me! Well I do like to contest too.....

- Mike KB3EIA -

On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 17:20:24 GMT, Mike Coslo
wrote:

My point is that if prospective amateurs or skaters don't want to get
involved, there's no way we can stop them.

Hey, Mike - that sounds like a Yogi Berra-ism! 8*p

" If the people don't want to come out to the ballpark, nobody's going
to stop them "


- Mike KB3EIA -

73, Leo

Leo wrote:

On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 17:20:24 GMT, Mike Coslo
wrote:


My point is that if prospective amateurs or skaters don't want to get
involved, there's no way we can stop them.


Hey, Mike - that sounds like a Yogi Berra-ism! 8*p

" If the people don't want to come out to the ballpark, nobody's going
to stop them "

You got it, Leo. There was an interview with the grand old man of
baseball on NPR a week or so ago. Yogi rulez!

- Mike KB3EIA -

Dick Carroll wrote:
Mike Coslo wrote:

My point is that if prospective amateurs or skaters don't want to
get involved, there's no way we can stop them.



Yep If they come to a fork in the road and don't take it, there's no
way to stop them. g

Most people either are grabbed by ham radio or they aren't. I can't
speak for those who are stymied by a code test, though. I haven't yet
found out how anyone who is actually interested in becoming involved
could sit by for so long waiting.... I never knew anyone like that.


Which brings us full circle, to a thread I started in July.

It is exceptionally difficult for me to imagine that a person who is
interested in something will refuse to participate because of one part
of the entrance requirements. That person is simply not all that interested.

This isn't about whether Morse should or shouldn't be tested for, it's
about basic interest.

-Mike KB3EIA -

These are the number of unexpired FCC ARS
licenses held by individuals on the dates listed:

As of May 14, 2000:

Novice - 49,329
Tech - 205,394
Tech Plus - 128,860
General - 112,677
Advanced - 99,782
Extra - 78,750
Total - 674,792


As of October 15, 2003:

Novice - 32,977 (decrease of 16,352)
Technician - 257,303 (increase of 51,909)
Technician Plus - 64,686 (decrease of 64,174)
General - 141,313 (increase of 28,636)
Advanced - 82,589 (decrease of 17,193)
Extra - 104,670 (increase of 25,920)
Total - 683,538 (increase of 8,746)

73 de Jim, N2EY

"N2EY" wrote in message
om...
These are the number of unexpired FCC ARS
licenses held by individuals on the dates listed:

As of May 14, 2000:

Novice - 49,329
Tech - 205,394
Tech Plus - 128,860
General - 112,677
Advanced - 99,782
Extra - 78,750
Total - 674,792


As of October 15, 2003:

Novice - 32,977 (decrease of 16,352)
Technician - 257,303 (increase of 51,909)
Technician Plus - 64,686 (decrease of 64,174)
General - 141,313 (increase of 28,636)
Advanced - 82,589 (decrease of 17,193)
Extra - 104,670 (increase of 25,920)
Total - 683,538 (increase of 8,746)

73 de Jim, N2EY

How Come with all these 'new' Ektra class tickets they STILL ain't covering
the HF bands?

Perhaps they can't figure out how to cut that dipole, eh?

Dan/W4NTI

In article et, "Dan/W4NTI"
w4nti@get rid of this mindspring.com writes:

"N2EY" wrote in message
. com...
These are the number of unexpired FCC ARS
licenses held by individuals on the dates listed:

As of May 14, 2000:

Novice - 49,329
Tech - 205,394
Tech Plus - 128,860
General - 112,677
Advanced - 99,782
Extra - 78,750
Total - 674,792


As of October 15, 2003:

Novice - 32,977 (decrease of 16,352)
Technician - 257,303 (increase of 51,909)
Technician Plus - 64,686 (decrease of 64,174)
General - 141,313 (increase of 28,636)
Advanced - 82,589 (decrease of 17,193)
Extra - 104,670 (increase of 25,920)
Total - 683,538 (increase of 8,746)

73 de Jim, N2EY

How Come with all these 'new' Ektra class tickets they STILL ain't covering
the HF bands?

Good question.

Back in May 14 2000, the total number of Generals/Advanceds/Extras (license
classes with lots of HF/MF privileges) was 291,209

On October 15, 2003, that total was 328,562, an increase of 37,353. About 12.8%
in 3-1/2 years.


73 de Jim, N2EY

"Dan/W4NTI" w4nti@get rid of this mindspring.com wrote in message ink.net...
"N2EY" wrote in message
om...
These are the number of unexpired FCC ARS
licenses held by individuals on the dates listed:

As of May 14, 2000:

Novice - 49,329
Tech - 205,394
Tech Plus - 128,860
General - 112,677
Advanced - 99,782
Extra - 78,750
Total - 674,792


As of October 15, 2003:

Novice - 32,977 (decrease of 16,352)
Technician - 257,303 (increase of 51,909)
Technician Plus - 64,686 (decrease of 64,174)
General - 141,313 (increase of 28,636)
Advanced - 82,589 (decrease of 17,193)
Extra - 104,670 (increase of 25,920)
Total - 683,538 (increase of 8,746)

73 de Jim, N2EY

How Come with all these 'new' Ektra class tickets they STILL ain't covering
the HF bands?

Perhaps they can't figure out how to cut that dipole, eh?

Dan/W4NTI

So you're saying that HF HASN'T been ruined by hordes of unwashed CBers?

"Brian" wrote in message
m...
"Dan/W4NTI" w4nti@get rid of this mindspring.com wrote in message
ink.net...
"N2EY" wrote in message
om...
These are the number of unexpired FCC ARS
licenses held by individuals on the dates listed:

As of May 14, 2000:

Novice - 49,329
Tech - 205,394
Tech Plus - 128,860
General - 112,677
Advanced - 99,782
Extra - 78,750
Total - 674,792


As of October 15, 2003:

Novice - 32,977 (decrease of 16,352)
Technician - 257,303 (increase of 51,909)
Technician Plus - 64,686 (decrease of 64,174)
General - 141,313 (increase of 28,636)
Advanced - 82,589 (decrease of 17,193)
Extra - 104,670 (increase of 25,920)
Total - 683,538 (increase of 8,746)

73 de Jim, N2EY

How Come with all these 'new' Ektra class tickets they STILL ain't
covering
the HF bands?

Perhaps they can't figure out how to cut that dipole, eh?

Dan/W4NTI

So you're saying that HF HASN'T been ruined by hordes of unwashed CBers?

No, Brian....I'm saying that they are too ignorant to get a signal on HF.

Dan/W4NTI