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:

Bitch, Bitch, Bitch! 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.

If we can only make it simple enough! Want to attract kids? Make the
tests so simple that anyone can pass them. Well this worked well with
the Citizens band didn't it? The world is full of examples of things
that have been improved by making them really easy, isn't it? Want to
see a kid get rid of a video game? Give him or her one that is real easy
to beat. It will be traded in in no time. A game that is just difficult
enough will keep 'em busy for a long time. If there is no intellectual
investment in the hobby, then there is no intellectual investment in the
hobby. A challenge is not a bad thing.


The Freakin' Sky is Fallin' Man! Get the wagons in a circle, and man
the phasers! Mixed metaphors on purpose. If a prospective ham looks into
the hobby, and they see a multitude of ARRL and others crying wolf, they
just might decide they want to spend their time on an avocation that has
a future. I'm glad I didn't see the "overwhelming band threats" when I
was getting started. That there are threats, inadvertent and purposeful
is not the issue. The stridency and panic factor is.


I am the Great TEchNoDwEEb!!!! I remember when I was a rank General, I
almost gave up on ever putting together a station because I was pretty
well convinced it was impossible. After all, Those dipoles suck they
don't work DX and you have to have them up a hundred feet in the air the
Verticals suck because they aren't efficient and you have to be crazy to
put in a ground rod because radials are the only way to go and you have
to dig up your whole yard to put in radials and if you don't have at
least 120 of the darn things at a quarter wavelength the antenna won't
work for a darn and you have to use coax because ladderline is sensitive
to moisture and you'll lose all your power in the tuner and besides it's
so old school but the coax sucks because you have to make an antenna for
the specific band but traps suck because they don't use all the wire in
an antennas and who the heck ever thought you could put a stinkin' hf
antenna on a car and ever hope to work anyone with it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh..... G5RV's suck and are great too!

Now what I think will work. I have to say think, because I haven't seen
much of it lately.

Show a newbie that it is fun. Let them make a DX contact with you as a
control op. If they are shy to talk, maybe that keyboard and PSK31 might
be a catalyst!

Hmm, PSK31? Let them see that the ARS is involved with computers. Not
just logging and antenna design programs, but they can work the world
with 'em! Show them the multitude of modes available, but not
everything. You want them to be able to discover some stuff by
themselves. Give 'em a few links to good websites that have

Show them you're proud of being an amateur. Let them get a sense of the
excitement of talking around the world on a few watts, or even the joy
of putting out a big signal with that linear and the glowing tubes in it.

Maybe they have a competitive streak. Let them work in a contest if you
can. One of the greatest things done for me as a neophyte was for the
club I belong to to let me do a lot of operating in a contest or two
when I was still a technician. It took me a while to realize that the
control op was a lot better than me, and I was dragging the scoring down
a bit, but I was hooked, and now am reasonably proficient as well as
having gone for the higher level licenses. That is one reason why I am
happy to spend the daytime operating at field day as the control op for
the GOTA station. I want to repay the kindness.

But most importantly, they need you to let them know how much fun it
is, and to not belabor them with the complaining that we so often fall
into "Those darn people that want to eliminate the Morse code test will
be the downfall of Amateur radio" is not something the prospective ham
wants to hear, as well as " We're going to get rid of that stupid code
test, and those old fuddy duddies are just going to have to live with
it" isn't going to help either.

Be enthusiastic, friendly and do good work.

- Mike KB3EIA -

"Mike Coslo" wrote in message
...
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:

Bitch, Bitch, Bitch! 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.

Well said.

If we can only make it simple enough! Want to attract kids? Make the
tests so simple that anyone can pass them.

Not all the tests...the ARRL and NCVEC are ONLY proposing
a new entry level. No changes are proposed for testing for General
or Extra.

Well this worked well with
the Citizens band didn't it?

Bad analogy...there never was any license testing at all for CB.

The world is full of examples of things
that have been improved by making them really easy, isn't it? Want to
see a kid get rid of a video game? Give him or her one that is real easy
to beat. It will be traded in in no time. A game that is just difficult
enough will keep 'em busy for a long time. If there is no intellectual
investment in the hobby, then there is no intellectual investment in the
hobby. A challenge is not a bad thing.

There's no reason the intellectual investment can't be for
General and Extra. Hell, that's what many of us did when we
started with the old Novice.

The Freakin' Sky is Fallin' Man! Get the wagons in a circle, and man
the phasers! Mixed metaphors on purpose. If a prospective ham looks into
the hobby, and they see a multitude of ARRL and others crying wolf, they
just might decide they want to spend their time on an avocation that has
a future. I'm glad I didn't see the "overwhelming band threats" when I
was getting started. That there are threats, inadvertent and purposeful
is not the issue. The stridency and panic factor is.

I don't see ARRRL (or NCVEC) crying wolf. I don't understand
the reference?

I am the Great TEchNoDwEEb!!!! I remember when I was a rank General, I
almost gave up on ever putting together a station because I was pretty
well convinced it was impossible. After all, Those dipoles suck they
don't work DX and you have to have them up a hundred feet in the air the
Verticals suck because they aren't efficient and you have to be crazy to
put in a ground rod because radials are the only way to go and you have
to dig up your whole yard to put in radials and if you don't have at
least 120 of the darn things at a quarter wavelength the antenna won't
work for a darn and you have to use coax because ladderline is sensitive
to moisture and you'll lose all your power in the tuner and besides it's
so old school but the coax sucks because you have to make an antenna for
the specific band but traps suck because they don't use all the wire in
an antennas and who the heck ever thought you could put a stinkin' hf
antenna on a car and ever hope to work anyone with
it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How did you come up with those misconceptions :-) :-)

Now what I think will work. I have to say think, because I haven't seen
much of it lately.

Show a newbie that it is fun. Let them make a DX contact with you as a
control op. If they are shy to talk, maybe that keyboard and PSK31 might
be a catalyst!

OK by me. I have had the chance to be a new hams first contact
on a couple of occasions. Such situations should always be handled
by the experienced ham as a chance to foster goodwill and a
warm welcome to the newcomer.

Hmm, PSK31? Let them see that the ARS is involved with computers. Not
just logging and antenna design programs, but they can work the world
with 'em! Show them the multitude of modes available, but not
everything. You want them to be able to discover some stuff by
themselves. Give 'em a few links to good websites that have

Agree 100%

Show them you're proud of being an amateur. Let them get a sense of the
excitement of talking around the world on a few watts, or even the joy
of putting out a big signal with that linear and the glowing tubes in it.

Agree 100%

Maybe they have a competitive streak. Let them work in a contest if you
can. One of the greatest things done for me as a neophyte was for the
club I belong to to let me do a lot of operating in a contest or two
when I was still a technician. It took me a while to realize that the
control op was a lot better than me, and I was dragging the scoring down
a bit, but I was hooked, and now am reasonably proficient as well as
having gone for the higher level licenses. That is one reason why I am
happy to spend the daytime operating at field day as the control op for
the GOTA station. I want to repay the kindness.

Agree 100%

But most importantly, they need you to let them know how much fun it
is, and to not belabor them with the complaining that we so often fall
into "Those darn people that want to eliminate the Morse code test will
be the downfall of Amateur radio" is not something the prospective ham
wants to hear, as well as " We're going to get rid of that stupid code
test, and those old fuddy duddies are just going to have to live with
it" isn't going to help either.

Be enthusiastic, friendly and do good work.

Agree again 100%.

Cheers,
Bill K2UNK

Bill Sohl wrote:
"Mike Coslo" wrote in message

I am the Great TEchNoDwEEb!!!! I remember when I was a rank General, I
almost gave up on ever putting together a station because I was pretty
well convinced it was impossible. After all, Those dipoles suck they
don't work DX and you have to have them up a hundred feet in the air the
Verticals suck because they aren't efficient and you have to be crazy to
put in a ground rod because radials are the only way to go and you have
to dig up your whole yard to put in radials and if you don't have at
least 120 of the darn things at a quarter wavelength the antenna won't
work for a darn and you have to use coax because ladderline is sensitive
to moisture and you'll lose all your power in the tuner and besides it's
so old school but the coax sucks because you have to make an antenna for
the specific band but traps suck because they don't use all the wire in
an antennas and who the heck ever thought you could put a stinkin' hf
antenna on a car and ever hope to work anyone with

it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How did you come up with those misconceptions :-) :-)


HOWL!!!! Perfect comeback Bill! Thanks, I needed that this afternoon! 8^)

- Mike KB3EIA -

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...!)

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.

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.

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).

73

Steve, K4YZ

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 -

In article ,
Mike Coslo wrote:

| The world is full of examples of things that have been improved by
| making them really easy, isn't it? Want to see a kid get rid of a
| video game? Give him or her one that is real easy to beat. It will
| be traded in in no time. A game that is just difficult enough will
| keep 'em busy for a long time. If there is no intellectual
| investment in the hobby, then there is no intellectual investment in
| the hobby. A challenge is not a bad thing.

Bad analogy, a game vs. ham radio.

The FCC tests are a tiny fraction of what there is to learn out there.
The FCC could replace all the tests with a `check here to get your
license' form, and ham radio wouldn't be any easier, harder or less or
more interesting.

You make it sound like ham radio is all about the FCC test, and if
that's easy, ham radio is suddenly easy. Well, I disagree. The tests
are already easy -- it's all the other stuff to learn, the *useful*
stuff, that's interesting and challenging.

Really, all the tests do is keep the riff-raff out. (Which seems
*very* important to many people.) And I guess as far as 30 mHz goes,
I'm riff-raff. For now.

| Show a newbie that it is fun. Let them make a DX contact with you as a
| control op. If they are shy to talk, maybe that keyboard and PSK31 might
| be a catalyst!

I actually was able to decode several PSK31 discussions last night on
14.073. I was very pleased. I was beginning to think that the dipole
I set up in my garage was somehow wrong.

I've passed elements 2, 3 and 4 and am working on 1, but I'm still a
rank amateur and I know it. Still, I'm really bummed that I can't
transmit on anything under 50 mhz until I pass the CW test, even
though I'm not really that interested in doing CW.

(And passing element 1 isn't going to magically make me stop being a
rank amateur. But at least then I'll be able to transmit `down
there'.)

--
Doug McLaren, , KD5YRD
01234567 - The amazing* indent-o-meter!
^ (*: Indent-o-meter may not actually amaze.)

Mike Coslo wrote in message ...
Steve Robeson K4CAP wrote:

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!

Actually, I am willing to bet they'd either whine about the
$20.00, demanding that it be halved, or they'd complain about how
cutting out the cupon aggrivated thier carpal tunnel, and they'd
subsequently sue under the American's with Disabilities Act to have
the cupon requirement waived.

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