If you're the typical baby-boomer radio amateur, you probably didn't become a ham as a result of some orchestrated PR campaign. Nobody had to tell you that ham radio was cool. It was something that just happened to find you. You probably discovered amateur radio by osmosis, being around, consciously or not, radio enthusiasts and experimenters. You might not have understood it at first, but something instinctively told you it was something you had to find out more about. Amateur radio interest and growth occurred naturally. Hams got into ham radio because they wanted to play with radios...and all the fascinating hardware that made radios work. Like any other organic process, it took on a life of its own; it didn't need any kind of intentional life support.
For the past couple of decades, it seems that amateur radio "recruitment" efforts are becoming more and more desperate. And while they may create temporary ballooning of ham radio numbers, they don't create the passion for radio that keeps hams in the hobby for decades....or a lifetime.
I'm not sure, (at least a lot less sure than I used to be) that it is our job as "elder statesmen" of amateur radio to recruit new hams into the hobby. But if it IS our job, we certainly haven't been doing it right.
Those of us with solder in our veins need to remember...seriously remember...what it was that got US into the hobby. And it almost certainly was not because of some sense of obligation. Does anyone here seriously think any 15 year old kid gives a rat's patoot about EMCOMM? This is not to denigrate EMCOMM in itself, but that is NOT what is going to attract lovers of radio (which is the actual definition of radio amateur). Public service is all well and good, but even THAT should be a natural result of technical and operating competence. I've performed every sort of radio public service there is...both commercial and amateur....but if I didn't love radio in the first place, I never would have gotten involved in any of them.
Using non-radio methods to attract people to radio is putting the hearse before the horse. Get people into radio because of the intrinsic wonder of radio is the way to keep folks in the hobby. After "settling in", they will soon enough find their niche...whether it's EMCOMM or contesting, or DXing, or just twiddling wires.
We really need to stop looking at the numbers...at least as an end in themselves. They can be great indicators of the health of ham radio....as long as they aren't "forced."
One thing we can do is keep our eyes and ears peeled for kids who would already likely have a natural bent toward radio...the science geeks, nerds, and makers. But this is really hard to do if you're never around any kids! Part of the problem is a rather unnatural, systemic segregation of the generations. It may not seem like it, but kids are looking for authority figures...as well as something to be passionate about. Amateur radio is one of the few activities that is not subject to the whims of fashion....it is primarily ruled by physical law...something rock solid that "yutes" need in their often chaotic lives. In amateur radio you have absolute control over at least a small aspect of your universe.
If we want long lasting hams in future generations, we can capitalize on these basic needs.
Eric
"Radio Pro Radio"
| VE3WGO | 2020-05-14 | |
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| Organic Amateur Radio | ||
| When I was young, the radio and TV industry was local, high schools taught electronics classes, radio & TV parts and repair shops were around, and the bookstores and libraries had plenty of technical books related to radio & electronics. A lot of design and manufacturing jobs existed in the consumer electronics industry, so it was also a career path for some and it was a rather visible industry in many big cities. There were then two main paths for electronics hobbyists to channel their tinkering and enthusiasm: audio and ham radio. The ARRL's Radio Amateur's Handbook was full of practical projects and was an accessible read for high school kids (my Dad even had the 1940 edition as his shop class textbook). None of those conditions exist anymore, parts have to be ordered from a massive warehouse somewhere and the ARRL Handbook has morphed into something else, so the electronics side of things is just not there in your face to draw people into ham radio. A very high percentage of hams now get their kicks from modifying existing store-bought stuff mainly from overseas, or simply from operating, so the methods that attracted us 30 years ago no longer practically exist. Consumer electronics design and manufacturing are not showing any sign of coming back from overseas anytime soon, and our insistence on getting cheap stuff will probably keep it that way. So what's left? Well... operating. New operating modes will probably be what attracts a new generation to ham radio... high speed digital, space communications, automation, and of course software controlled everything. | ||
| G3SEA | 2020-05-13 | |
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| Re: Organic Amateur Radio | ||
| Change is the only Constant and applies to Ham Radio. G3SEA/KH6 Reply to a comment by : KC6RWI on 2020-04-18 I didn't find radio due to any campaign, the interest was always there is some small way. I agree with you that builders, robotics, kid are probably the best prospects for new hams. To a friend who has phone he asked why radio?, I said i want to make my own waves and send them around the world. We both liked that idea. | ||
| VK2NZA | 2020-04-30 | |
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| Organic Amateur Radio | ||
| A very pertinent topic initiated by Eric KL7AJ, Indeed there does in my part of the world appear to be a reduction in newcomers taking up the hobby, obssession, interest that is amateur radio, Many of the amateurs i know and have contact with are in their 50's - 80's and developed their interest early in their lives. In common with other commenters I developed my interest in radio theough SW , I lived in the deep South Pacific, ZL4 territory in the 50's and 60's and was interested in the world beyond the shores of the New Zealand Isles. The family radio that contained 2 short wave bands was my window to a wealth of SW transmissions from around the world many with English language transmissions. I soon started experimenting with wire antenna's in an effort to improve signals and found them a very interesting subject. Pulling malfunctioning vehicles, appliances/radios was a common part of my upbringing, and I learned how to diagnose and repair and modify as a part of life. One thing led to another and i met an amateur operator and the facination increased leading me to obtain a licence. Today this entry is not so common, many homes no longer have a radio let alone a short wave radio, a multitude of options are now available to the youth of today via the net, cell phone, television and satellite options which offer instant connection and gratification. Also the number of SW broadcasters who have shut down and are accessed via the net are growing and English or European language transmissions are few and far between now, if accessing Ham radio through SW radio. I acknowledge the growth of SW transmissions from China and S.E . Asia and this may lead to a growing interest in those regions via inexpensive available and often very good portable SW radios eg Tecsun. No longer do we pull broken of malfunctioning appliances of electronics apart in order to repair them. Our castaway societies allow for relatively less expensive replacements with the fast upgrading options, often we caste away operational litems just because they have been superceded or have become quickly obsolete and this disallows interest in the functioning and therefore understanding of the components of our appliances and electronics. It does appear that the younger demographic are not taking up this interest, as many think very differently, instant gratification, access to the world at touch of a button or even verbally via Siri. Generation X Y and Millenials have so many more options and are not as commonly exposed to the radio operator up the road as previously I believe. Also in my location, we have no cold winters where one needs to shelter indoors during the season and are forced to persue indoor hobby's. Of my other interests and persuits available here on the farm and rural area we live in, my twin sons chose equestrian and rodeo sports over my interest in amateur radio and other than the Australian UHF band CB's in their pickups the cell phone is king. I sadly conclude that the hobby is on a downward slide in my part of the world and may be only seen in historical pictures in the future. | ||
| K8QV | 2020-04-23 | |
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| Re: Organic Amateur Radio | ||
| Way, way back when I was a kid, building a crystal radio was interesting to me. I not only "DXd" radio stations but I even made antennas for receiving distant television stations. Got the Novice and built a transmitter as soon as I could. If I had had a smart phone, computer on the Internet, cable TV, a tablet and satellite radio at that time, searching for broadcast signals would never have occurred to me. Reply to a comment by : KC6RWI on 2020-04-18 I didn't find radio due to any campaign, the interest was always there is some small way. I agree with you that builders, robotics, kid are probably the best prospects for new hams. To a friend who has phone he asked why radio?, I said i want to make my own waves and send them around the world. We both liked that idea. | ||
| N4UM | 2020-04-23 | |
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| Re: Organic Amateur Radio | ||
| Might the declining interest in ham radio among young people possibly be the result of the growing denigration of the importance of science and truth in our society? Listen to the antics on 75 meters any night of the week and you'll wonder why ANYONE would want to get into this hobby. Reply to a comment by : KC6RWI on 2020-04-18 I didn't find radio due to any campaign, the interest was always there is some small way. I agree with you that builders, robotics, kid are probably the best prospects for new hams. To a friend who has phone he asked why radio?, I said i want to make my own waves and send them around the world. We both liked that idea. | ||
| AC5WO | 2020-04-21 | |
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| Organic Amateur Radio | ||
| I discovered radio by hearing distant broadcast stations, both AM and FM. I put up antennas to hear different music than I could hear on local radio stations in my small town. However, the big change was when I found the ARRL handbook at the public library. It was a really good beginning RF reference book that also gave me more exposure to Amateur Radio. Once you know what to look for, you can see things like Amateur Radio antennas and callsign license plates to find hams. I'm trying to think of the equivalent ways a person would find Amateur Radio in the Internet Era, starting with a everyday RF problem that is solved with better antennas, leading the individual to discover Amateur Radio as they use Amateur Radio websites to help solve a problem. Several hams have put together websites with coaxial cable loss calculators that are pretty useful, for example. | ||
| K6CRC | 2020-04-20 | |
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| Organic Amateur Radio | ||
| Well written article, with clear points. I tend to agree with the author. I had an early Ham hobby squashed by the attitudes of older hams, and by my own change of interests. In my early 60s, I got back into the hobby, and enjoy it casually. I have two 20 something sons, both work in tech fields. Neither they nor any of the their friends have the slightest interest in the Ham hobby. My small sample size says that Ham radio is likely in its twilight years, but that is no reason to worry or fret. The hobby is just downsizing as are most hobbies/interests. Fewer young people like old cars, stamp collecting, or even baseball. For most areas of the US (e.g urban, suburban), EMCOMM by Hams is becoming unnecessary, and I cannot see it as a way to grow the hobby significantly. Just enjoy your hobby, no need to be an evangelist for people who don't want to be evangelized! | ||
| W3WN | 2020-04-20 | |
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| Organic Amateur Radio | ||
| Eric, Hope you don't mind if I use this as an article in my next newsletter. | ||
| K0UA | 2020-04-19 | |
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| Re: Organic Amateur Radio | ||
| Very well thought thru and well written piece. Reply to a comment by : KC6RWI on 2020-04-18 I didn't find radio due to any campaign, the interest was always there is some small way. I agree with you that builders, robotics, kid are probably the best prospects for new hams. To a friend who has phone he asked why radio?, I said i want to make my own waves and send them around the world. We both liked that idea. | ||
| KT4EP | 2020-04-18 | |
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| Organic Amateur Radio | ||
| Well said. | ||
| N4KC | 2020-04-18 | |
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| Organic Amateur Radio | ||
| Eric, I'm all for keeping an eye out and ears peeled for kids who might have a natural interest in our hobby. Just make sure they understand what ham radio is about...today. Back in ancient times, when many of us entered hamdom, there were far fewer choices for such potential radio lovers. It was a much shorter leap from hearing distant broadcast stations on the family radio to passing the Novice exam. I advocate for making certain everyone--kids, middle-agers, old fogeys--are aware of all that the hobby offers and how to get into the fraternity/sorority. I don't care if the interest is sparked by EMCOMM, survivalist readiness, radiosport, digital applications, DX, launching balloons, building stuff, yakking...whatever it takes to get them interested and then see where that interest takes them. I don't even care if they are in love with "radio," whatever "radio" is to them. I bet we both know great hams who love the hobby and do a lot for it, yet rarely touch a key or mic button or keyboard. I'm also not concerned with quantity vs. quality. Not all will become as active as you and I. But quite a few will. Not all will stick with the one thing that got them interested in the first place. They may be like me and love it all. They may go an entirely different direction. They may go away. Frankly, I doubt we lose any significant spectrum if we don't rush out and recruit millions of hams-in-license-status-only. My goal is not to make everyone with a pulse a ham. But I want every person on the planet who might find fun and satisfaction in our hobby--and who might contribute to it--to know what it is and have the opportunity to experience it for himself or herself. Good thoughts as always, Eric. 73, Don N4KC www.n4kc.com www.donkeith.com | ||
| KC6RWI | 2020-04-18 | |
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| Organic Amateur Radio | ||
| I didn't find radio due to any campaign, the interest was always there is some small way. I agree with you that builders, robotics, kid are probably the best prospects for new hams. To a friend who has phone he asked why radio?, I said i want to make my own waves and send them around the world. We both liked that idea. | ||