Steve Robeson K4CAP wrote:

Subject: How to attract people to the Amateur Radio Service
From: Mike Coslo
Date: 4/13/2004 10:31 PM Central Standard Time
Message-id:

I've been here a few years now, and listened to a lot that has been
said and done.

I've come up with some ideas about how we might attract people to the
ARS. What I think will work, and what won't work.

What won't work:

B****, B####, B@@@@! There are a number of hams that have an amazing,
big chip on their shoulders. Everything is going to be the downfall of
Amateur radio. We eliminate Element one, and pretty soon we're all
worshiping Satan and registered Democrats. Yeah, that's a way to attract
new people! If your that unhappy, turn your license in and then you'll
finally be satisfied. But it's kind of like Abe Lincon said "people are
just about as happy as they make up their minds to be". Your anger is
your addiction.


Whew! I can put my hands on some Zoloft if ya want it, Mike! =)

(Just kidding...!)


Wayaaayyy too much coffee that day! 8^)

But I did have fun typing it!!



Personally, I don't care how hard we "recruit", I think Amateur Radio has
always attracted a certain few types of personalities and always will...Just
like some people like hang gliding, snow skiing, Scrabble, etc etc etc.

There will be the occassional "straggler" that picks up along the way, but
consider how many different "incentives" to become Amateurs there have been yet
the growth rate, other than in radio's early years, has rarely reached two
digits.

Another hobby of mine, Amateur Astronomy, is the same way. There are
people complaining that AA's are too old, that we need to get more
children interested in the hobby (disregarding the expense of a good
telescope that older folks have the discretionary funds for, and not too
many 8 year olds will be allowed out at night when the observing happens
to be good!)


I honestly believe that if we put a cupon in Popular Science offering an
all-privileges license for $20.00 plus the cupon, we'd STILL not see any
"marked" growth. Yes...there'd be an initial spurt...Just like all the other
"incentives" over the last 80 years, but that would be it.

Way to go Steve! you just messed up the end-game strategy for the NCTA's!


I think the only way to get an idea of what would get more folks into
Amateur Radio would be to do a "survey" in PopSci, Popular Mechanics, Popular
Communications, etc, and get a feel for what the REAL "John Q" thinks.



I think the ARRL's "Novice" idea is wasted time. QST itself has numerous
stories of Grade School and Junior High students who routinely pass all three
levels of licensure, so all they are doing is adding to the administrative
quagmire. Furthermore, if they'd take the hint from other Administrations and
just get past the code issue, there'd be no need for it (Novice).

I know. I could have passed the present test at a pretty young age, and
I'm nowhere near exceptional.

Perhaps they are trying to appeal to people that aren't interested?......

- Mike KB3EIA -

Subject: How to attract people to the Amateur Radio Service
From: Mike Coslo
Date: 4/15/2004 7:05 PM Central Standard Time
Message-id:

Perhaps they are trying to appeal to people that aren't
interested?......

BINGO!

Here's a bit of interesting trivia...

Have you ever taken the time to stroll through "QRZ's" bios? If you do,
I think you'll notice that certain "hobbies" and career paths keep turning up.

A very large number make reference to flying, some type of active outdoor
sports (usually camping or hiking), participatioon as volunteer FD or EMS, or
active or retired career in the Armed Forces.

THERE'S where we need to be "recruiting"...In "FLYING" , "Emergency
Medical Services", the various military papers (NAVY Times, ARMY Times, AF
Times), "Field and Stream", etc. Throw the occassional ad into "Boy's Life",
and the science related magazines I noted earlier and a few (such as your
Astronomy field) that I am sure others can come up with.

Hmmmmm???

Steve, K4YZ

Steve Robeson K4CAP wrote:
Subject: How to attract people to the Amateur Radio Service
From: Mike Coslo
Date: 4/15/2004 7:05 PM Central Standard Time
Message-id:


Perhaps they are trying to appeal to people that aren't

interested?......

BINGO!

Here's a bit of interesting trivia...

Have you ever taken the time to stroll through "QRZ's" bios? If you do,
I think you'll notice that certain "hobbies" and career paths keep turning up.

A very large number make reference to flying, some type of active outdoor
sports (usually camping or hiking), participatioon as volunteer FD or EMS, or
active or retired career in the Armed Forces.

THERE'S where we need to be "recruiting"...In "FLYING" , "Emergency
Medical Services", the various military papers (NAVY Times, ARMY Times, AF
Times), "Field and Stream", etc. Throw the occassional ad into "Boy's Life",
and the science related magazines I noted earlier and a few (such as your
Astronomy field) that I am sure others can come up with.


Absolutely. We need to have a target audience. Right now, it seems like
there is a scattershot approach.

Its nice that there are some pretty ladies that are hams, and it's nice
that there are a few celebrities that are hams, but by and large, we are
the techie's.

I doubt L'il Kim or Brittany Spears or Justin Timberlake will ever be
hams, or (name your popular type person) will ever even think about it.

Well, that's just fine. Ham radio wasn't, isn't, and never will be
Kewl. And that's kewl by me. If those type people were involved in it, I
probably wouldn't be.

- Mike KB3EIA -

"Mike Coslo" wrote

|
| I doubt L'il Kim or Brittany Spears or Justin Timberlake will ever be
| hams, or (name your popular type person) will ever even think about
it.
|
| Well, that's just fine. Ham radio wasn't, isn't, and never will be
| Kewl. And that's kewl by me. If those type people were involved in it,
I
| probably wouldn't be.
|

Why wouldn't you be? I don't personally know the three young people you
mention and I'll concede that I haven't paid a great deal of attention
to them, but my impression is that they are bright, intelligent,
successful, "with it" sorts who have influence among a wide segment of
the population, particularly young people. Seems that the involvement
of "those type people" could be one way (obviously not the only way) to
attract people to the Amateur Radio Service.

Personally I find myself in direct disagreement with "wasn't, isn't, and
never will be Kewl". (Thanks to WB8IMY for some of his thoughts) In
case you didn't know, belief in magic is a necessary requirement for all
Amateur Radio operators. Of course, you won't see a question concerning
magic or metaphysics on the test you take to obtain your license, but in
your heart you will come to believe in that powerful, intangible force.

All of us in the hobby have felt its influence at one time or another.
Some night when the band is dead as a doornail you'll be tuning
aimlessly, not expecting to hear a single signal because NOTHING could
be coming through at that hour. But then, rising out of the noise like a
ghost, there will be a faint call from another stalwart explorer
thousands of miles distant. You pounce, establish contact and both of
you marvel at the fact that the conversation is taking place at all. A
few minutes later, however, the signal vanishes as quickly as it came.
Your rational mind will shrug it off as a quirk of propagation, but that
little tingle in your gut will tell you otherwise.

Hey, that's Kewl!

If you could travel back in time 1000 years to 1004 AD, you'd probably
be burned at the nearest stake for even suggesting that two human beings
could communicate with each other over great distances without a
physical connection. No doubt they would accuse you of dabbling in
magic -- and they'd be right!

As Amateur Radio operators, we work feats of magic every day. Many of
us have become jaded about our powers and we tend to dismiss them as
commonplace. We hardly think twice when we use our equipment to sommon
the elemental forces of the universe. But every so often we need to
pause and remind ourselves of what we are really doing. We need to
remember the essence of what drew us to our unusual avocation in the
first place: the wonderful magic of wireless communications.

Hey, that's Kewl!

Those of us who play at RadioSport contesting regularly employ our
station engineering and operating skills in weekend-long games of
world-wide electronic splatball with tens of thousands of other
participants aged from pre-teen to near 100.

Hey, that's Kewl!

I could go on and on.....

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de Hans, K0HB

KØHB wrote:
"Mike Coslo" wrote

|
| I doubt L'il Kim or Brittany Spears or Justin Timberlake will ever be
| hams, or (name your popular type person) will ever even think about
it.
|
| Well, that's just fine. Ham radio wasn't, isn't, and never will be
| Kewl. And that's kewl by me. If those type people were involved in it,
I
| probably wouldn't be.
|

Why wouldn't you be? I don't personally know the three young people you
mention and I'll concede that I haven't paid a great deal of attention
to them, but my impression is that they are bright, intelligent,
successful, "with it" sorts who have influence among a wide segment of
the population, particularly young people. Seems that the involvement
of "those type people" could be one way (obviously not the only way) to
attract people to the Amateur Radio Service.

Agreed that they are all a part of popular culture, and are widely
respected and emulated by a lot of youth.

L'il Kim was just indicted for lying to the FBI about her involvement
in a shootout outside a studio when a security cam showed her very much
involved in it. Ms Spears has a lot to do with many prepubescent girls
"sluttin it up" the past few years. They adore her and emulate her as
much as possible. And Justin was the other half of the Janet Jackson
"wardrobe malfunction during the Super bowl.



Personally I find myself in direct disagreement with "wasn't, isn't, and
never will be Kewl". (Thanks to WB8IMY for some of his thoughts) In
case you didn't know, belief in magic is a necessary requirement for all
Amateur Radio operators. Of course, you won't see a question concerning
magic or metaphysics on the test you take to obtain your license, but in
your heart you will come to believe in that powerful, intangible force.

Sorry, I don't believe in either.


All of us in the hobby have felt its influence at one time or another.
Some night when the band is dead as a doornail you'll be tuning
aimlessly, not expecting to hear a single signal because NOTHING could
be coming through at that hour. But then, rising out of the noise like a
ghost, there will be a faint call from another stalwart explorer
thousands of miles distant. You pounce, establish contact and both of
you marvel at the fact that the conversation is taking place at all. A
few minutes later, however, the signal vanishes as quickly as it came.
Your rational mind will shrug it off as a quirk of propagation, but that
little tingle in your gut will tell you otherwise.

Hey, that's Kewl!

Certainly a coincidence.



If you could travel back in time 1000 years to 1004 AD, you'd probably
be burned at the nearest stake for even suggesting that two human beings
could communicate with each other over great distances without a
physical connection. No doubt they would accuse you of dabbling in
magic -- and they'd be right!

As Amateur Radio operators, we work feats of magic every day. Many of
us have become jaded about our powers and we tend to dismiss them as
commonplace. We hardly think twice when we use our equipment to sommon
the elemental forces of the universe. But every so often we need to
pause and remind ourselves of what we are really doing. We need to
remember the essence of what drew us to our unusual avocation in the
first place: the wonderful magic of wireless communications.

Hey, that's Kewl!

Those of us who play at RadioSport contesting regularly employ our
station engineering and operating skills in weekend-long games of
world-wide electronic splatball with tens of thousands of other
participants aged from pre-teen to near 100.

Hey, that's Kewl!

I could go on and on.....


What you are talking about is what I find fascinating about Amateur
radio also. Electronics in general for that matter.

Just imagine, all this starts with rocks. Rocks contain things that do
things when they are hit with electricity. Might be conduct electricity,
conduct it in one direction only, or block it. Maybe the rock will make
electricity when you hit it or when the sun shines on it. Maybe it will
make electricity when you get it near a magnet. Maybe the rock is a
magnet. All kind of stuff that enables us to do great things. And it's
all in rocks.


But it isn't too likely that the Popsters are going to be too
interested in that. It isn't the way they think.

Popular culture is what it is, and if the purveyors of pop thought that
Amateur radio was something to be popular, they would say so. Then the
popsters will come running to the ARS in droves.

And you or me thinking it is cool doesn't make it kewl for them.


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hey, that's good!

- Mike KB3EIA -

"Mike Coslo" wrote

| Just imagine, all this starts with rocks. Rocks contain things that do
| things when they are hit with electricity. Might be conduct
electricity,
| conduct it in one direction only, or block it. Maybe the rock will
make
| electricity when you hit it or when the sun shines on it. Maybe it
will
| make electricity when you get it near a magnet. Maybe the rock is a
| magnet. All kind of stuff that enables us to do great things. And it's
| all in rocks.

Hey, Kewl, Magic Rocks!!! Rock on, Dude! (Pass me that doobie you're
puffin'!)

|
| But it isn't too likely that the Popsters are going to be too
| interested in that. It isn't the way they think.
|

I don't know what the hell a "Popster" is, but I've got 14 grandkids and
I know how they think. Several of them think it's way Kewl that grandpa
plays in "weekend-long games of world-wide electronic splatball with
tens of thousands of others". "Kewl" enough that 3 of them are licensed
and 2 are studying. They don't care crap about rocks in the sunlight,
and frankly neither does grandpa.

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de Hans, K0HB

Subject: How to attract people to the Amateur Radio Service
From: "KØHB"
Date: 4/16/2004 4:13 PM Central Standard Time
Message-id: .net

I don't know what the hell a "Popster" is, but I've got 14 grandkids...(SNIP)

Congratulations. Why the profanity?

...and I know how they think. Several of them think it's way Kewl that
grandpa
plays in "weekend-long games of world-wide electronic splatball with
tens of thousands of others". "Kewl" enough that 3 of them are licensed
and 2 are studying.

Great. Now you can call the K-ZERO-HB net on Sunday evenings. Will you
take non-DNA related check-ins? What mode?

They don't care crap about rocks in the sunlight,
and frankly neither does grandpa.

I doubt there is a great deal grandpa DOES care about. Mostly things
ABOUT grandpa, I bet.

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I guess I make a point of this since YOU care to make issue with MY posts,
Hans, but that was cute the first dozen or so times you used it....Time to
exercise your imagination.

73

Steve, K4YZ

(Steve Robeson K4CAP) wrote in message ...
Subject: How to attract people to the Amateur Radio Service
From: Mike Coslo
Date: 4/15/2004 7:05 PM Central Standard Time
Message-id:

Perhaps they are trying to appeal to people that aren't
interested?......

BINGO!

Here's a bit of interesting trivia...

Have you ever taken the time to stroll through "QRZ's" bios? If you do,
I think you'll notice that certain "hobbies" and career paths keep turning up.

A very large number make reference to flying, some type of active outdoor
sports (usually camping or hiking), participatioon as volunteer FD or EMS, or
active or retired career in the Armed Forces.

THERE'S where we need to be "recruiting"...In "FLYING" , "Emergency
Medical Services", the various military papers (NAVY Times, ARMY Times, AF
Times), "Field and Stream", etc. Throw the occassional ad into "Boy's Life",
and the science related magazines I noted earlier and a few (such as your
Astronomy field) that I am sure others can come up with.

Hmmmmm???

Steve, K4YZ

Steve, good point. Flying, RC model airplane, model rocketry, GPS,
any type of military or public service (LE, fire, EMS), but also
electronics hobbyists and careerists.

Not your usual skateboarders and glue sniffers.

bb

Not your usual skateboarders and glue sniffers.



Well, maybe skateboarders might like to use hands free radios to
talk to each other while rolling down the street. Though they'd
probably use GMRS sets for that.

I really don't understand glue sniffing. Whenever I worked with such
glue, I'd get a headache if I got too much of the fumes. Can't
imagine wanting that.

Subject: How to attract people to the Amateur Radio Service
From: (William)
Date: 4/16/2004 12:01 PM Central Standard Time
Message-id:

THERE'S where we need to be "recruiting"...In "FLYING" , "Emergency
Medical Services", the various military papers (NAVY Times, ARMY Times, AF
Times), "Field and Stream", etc. Throw the occassional ad into "Boy's
Life",
and the science related magazines I noted earlier and a few (such as your
Astronomy field) that I am sure others can come up with.

Hmmmmm???

Steve, K4YZ

Steve, good point. Flying, RC model airplane, model rocketry, GPS,
any type of military or public service (LE, fire, EMS), but also
electronics hobbyists and careerists.

Not your usual skateboarders and glue sniffers.

Speaking of glue sniffers, we just had a full arrest on a 15 year old who
waas huffing glue and paint...What's up with these kids...?!?!

Anyway...Thanks Brian...Maybe a letter to the ARRL suggesting this...?!?!

73

Steve, K4YZ