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Author Topic: "Congrats, you passed"  (Read 2988 times)

KOP

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"Congrats, you passed"
« on: April 16, 2017, 01:58:27 PM »

I'll just leave this here...

~snip

The best way to welcome new hams is to become a VE.  It's a shame that I was too young to be a VE when I passed all the exams.  By the time I was eligible, I was already off to school.  Maybe I'll finally get the certification, connect with a club, and start proctoring.  The only necessary gesture for a successful new ham or upgrading ham is a firm handshake and "Congrats, you passed". The rest is irrelevant.

73, Jordan     

Thank You Jordan (AB2T) .

~kop

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I considered a microwave oven magnetron and a 4' dish as a drone-killer. The ERP would be on the order of a hundred thousand watts or so. ~anon

November 28, 2018, 09:16:04 AM

WA2ISE

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RE: "Congrats, you passed"
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2017, 02:35:00 PM »

"And our club can help you set a station up, so you can get on the air"...
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KOP

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  • Posts: 372
RE: "Congrats, you passed"
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2017, 04:04:10 PM »

Robert,
          I'm not a member of any club and doubt i ever will be . I have however given my personal email to EVERY individual I've examined . This generally leads to Phone contact and subsequent visits to their "station".

         It's a personal touch often found missing from Amateur Radio in general and V.E. sessions in particular . I just feel the need to teach what I learn. I'm still getting up to speed as I have not exercised that part of the wet computer in years. I Have to rely on where to find the answer more times than having the answer ready and part of personal knowledge.

         This is no knock on the efforts of any club. It's more an indictment of my lack of people skills . I seem to fare better ( and my victims also) one on one rather than in groups . In any case to turn a new  licensee loose on the bands with out continuing support is remiss to the point of being abusive . Abusive not only to the new amateur but the existing amateur community .

Some examples are .

Band edges and band plans...

Now that the Amateur Auxiliary and Official Observers have nearly ceased to function in all but a flawed enforcement effort there is no one to remind, educate, and inform the amateur of a litany of transgressions . Band edges, band privileges, band segments, and traditional "Windows" of operation for Amplitude Modulation, weak signal (QRP) , DX (international in this case and slightly different for left and right coast), as well as all of this being different for our Canadian neighbors .
Only some of this is on the exams and little of it is taught .
   
Contesting ...

Where to begin with this ? I am not nor do I expect to ever be a contest operator . I'll probably be doing the cooking and rigging. This is a place for the club to step in and do what it can to get their recent licensees , members or not , to at least one field day . Sure jumping in with both feet is still one of the best ways to do this but at least a little Elmering is necessary .

QRO...

Amperage can hurt you (Solid State) Voltage can kill you. Whether its 60A @ 48v or 3KV @ 750ma the exams do little to emphasize the dangers of QRO operation. I'm relieved that the safety portions of element three and four have survived recent purges . I would like to include a more dramatic and practical example on a regular basis . Use your imagination here . I'd like to see exploding batteries , over current melt downs , high voltage escaping accompanied by loud noises and smoke . By shock value alone if it saves one life ...

Conversation...

Is it really a lost art ? Doubtless you can still find as many unique conversations as individual licenses but how to get them to talk ? Listen! I can't stress this enough to new amateurs . Listen so that when the tens come around (explain that one as well) and they insert their call be prepared with something other/more than "can I get a radio check". Some round tables or rag chews ( yet another explanation) will have nothing in common with our new amateur but don't write that frequency and time off entirely as the subject matter changes. Again I can't stress enough , listen.

"not as good as we usually do but, perfect !"

All the new amateur may have is some hand me down hollow state (yeah , explain that too) or in the case of a technician , something Chinese.In the case of the Chinese (unpronounceable) a good antenna and external microphone go a long way . NOTE I said "good" I should have said "effective". The older Kenwood speaker mics fit these radios and nearly any whip other than the original is better , but , YMMV. In the HF case get the manual , read the theory , put the very best station on the air that can be made with the time , talent, funds and experience available . Pay attention to details . "Only if each sub assembly is completed to the best of your available time , tools , talent and experience can the final product become greater than the whole."  I've lifted the quote from a conversation I had with "Lil John" Buttera many years ago . It so very much applies here that I repeated it . From good grounding to soldering coax connectors to understanding antenna theory to being creative with the limitations of your space and equipment . All these things need at the very least an elmer or , yes , a club (as long as I'm not a member)

Remember the human..

It's an early , pre internet maxim that has to some extent been retained from the B.B.S. days (I suppose the Bulletin Board networks will need to be explained also) It is regularly used in two different contexts . First is, "remember the human element" If there is anything predictable about human beings it is our fallibility. "never underestimate the power of human stupidity" (this includes your own) . Next is remember that the text , the voice , the code on the other end of the conversation (QSO for this discussion) is produced by another human being. (except when it's not) .
Simple rule of thumb, would you say to their face ? Would you say in the company of others? (the whole world is listening you know) . I'd stop short of would you say it to your mother or would you say it to the Vicar because I can discuss near anything with my mother and the Vicar , well he's been prone to extemporizing a ribald tale on occasion . Just treat all as if they are human . At the point you find out they aren't , spin the big knob.

So congratulations is indeed a good start . However it's only a start . I didn't set out to construct a thousand words in a treatment of our sad lack of support for our new numbers but there it is . Woefully incomplete but hopefully enough to provoke thought if not action .   

~kop
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I considered a microwave oven magnetron and a 4' dish as a drone-killer. The ERP would be on the order of a hundred thousand watts or so. ~anon

November 28, 2018, 09:16:04 AM
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