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#8
July 9th 03, 03:29 PM
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N2EY wrote:
Radio Amateur KC2HMZ wrote in message . .. On 07 Jul 2003 11:11:10 GMT, (N2EY) wrote: some snippage One of the problems with skill testing is that the test has to actually include the skill - it can't be a purely paper test and actually mean anything. (You can't judge my bicycle-riding or stick-shift skills with a written test). And such testing means a separate test element and the same problems that come with the code test. The dropping of the code test will not be accompanied by a significant, sustained increase in growth rate of the ARS. There may be a short term surge, and lots of upgrades, but total numbers will not skyrocket. Seems to me that the outcome, in this regard, is up to us. We have an opportunity to start a significant influx of good operators into the ARS provided we're willing to identify them and elmer them and welcome them into the ranks, so to speak. Those of us who go out of our way to meet these people and convince them to get into the club meetings and the VE sessions, and who answer questions and provide the guidance the newcomers will need and then accept and respect them as fellow hams should, will be taking good advantage of the opportunity. I agree with all of the that - but a lot of it comes down to publicity for the ARS, and the simple fact that most people are not interested in radio as an end in itself. There's a limit to how much we can "sell" amateur radio. The trick is to identify those who are really interested, and help them out. Right. The ARS is simply not for everyone. People who try to make it that way are just spinning their wheels. You need a technical bent, and getting a thrill out of sending a teeny signal across the world helps too. Those of us who spend our time coming up with witty and derogatory names like Extra Lite and insist on distinguishing between No-Code and Know-Code and go out of their way to make people feel like second-class citizens will be letting the opportunity just slide on by and will be doing a disservice to the ARS. Agreed - and I challenge you to find any postings of mine where I have done any of that. I am an Extra lite, I was a No-Code Tech at one time. I'm also a hockey puck and a few other things. Seriously, there isn't anyone around that someone doesn't like, so we just have to work on being less sensitive. I was sitting around a dinner table with some friend hams, and the conversation shifted to licensing. One of the guys noted how "Any moron can become an Extra now." I just chuckled and said, "and I am the proof of that!" He was a bit embarrassed, but I took no offense and made a joke of it. More snippage Yet, how many hams do you know of who have even heard of ALE, outisde of those in this forum where I know the subject has come up previously? How many hams in your local club know what ALE is? How many would be willing to accept and use it if they did? Many of us know what ALE is, and even how it could be used on the amateur bands. The bigger question is - why would hams want to use ALE for normal amateur operation? The whole point of ALE is to reduce/eliminate the need for a knowledgeable operator. In fact, if you look at most nonamateur radio equipment design philosophies, one of the driving forces behind them is to replace the skilled "radio operator" with a relatively unskilled "user", who doesn't really know what's going on - and doesn't have to. Consider the nearly-ubiquitous cell phone - none of the radio-specific functions are controlled by the user at all! In fact, far too many people don't even realize a cell phone is a radio transceiver. (I recall an indignant fellow airline passenger telling me "I can use this while we take off! It's a TELEPHONE, not a RADIO!!") I don't know whether to laugh or cry! snippage again Especially since there will undoubtedly be those who will not welcome them at all, and in fact do quite the opposite. A few. That's not a new thing - ever hear of the fellow who used to call CQ on 75 AM and add "no kids, no lids, no space cadets, Class A operators only"? Radio Amateur KC2HMZ is simply wrong here. And old mister No kids, no lids is just the exception that proves the rule. Most all hams, even those who think that elimination of the Morse code requirement is the beginning of the end of Western civilization, are very welcoming of new people. Sometimes when we think everyone around us is nasty, we need to look to ourselves for the problem. Those of us who wish to take advantage of this opportunity will have to work doubly hard in order to overcome the harm done by the minority that will attempt to ostracize and chase away the newcomers, forgetting that they were newcomers themselves once upon a time. All true. Actually, it doesn't seem like that long ago that I was a newcomer. But there is also the reverse problem: Newcomers who do not want advice or elmering from the "old f@#$S", no matter how it is offered. I've been on the receiving end of that more than a few times. What's the right approach - just ignore them? Eventually, that's all you can do, if the person insists on being nasty. It's also important to remember that that same peron will probably spend time moaning about "those rotten hams". - Mike KB3EIA - |
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