Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: encouraging seniors to join ham radio  (Read 361 times)

G3ZHI

  • Member
  • Posts: 85
    • homeURL
encouraging seniors to join ham radio
« on: December 23, 2019, 11:18:44 AM »

encouraging seniors to join ham radio

        in the uk we have

        11 million seniors
        4 million live alone
        1 million say they often feel lonely
        20% say they see family neighbors
        and friends less than weekly

        we should aim our efforts at getting these people to join in ham radio

        seniors know how to make and hold a conversation

        amateur radio would help them to socialize

        today most radio amateurs are seniors themselves

        the average age of arrl members is 65+
Logged

W6MK

  • Posts: 4095
    • HomeURL
Re: encouraging seniors to join ham radio
« Reply #1 on: December 24, 2019, 11:23:25 AM »

encouraging seniors to join ham radio
 we should aim our efforts at getting these people to join in ham radio

Take a portable rig down to the pub.  ;D
Logged

CR1956

  • Posts: 33
    • HomeURL
Re: encouraging seniors to join ham radio
« Reply #2 on: December 24, 2019, 01:53:36 PM »


seniors know how to make and hold a conversation

        amateur radio would help them to socialize

        today most radio amateurs are seniors themselves

        the average age of arrl members is 65+
Logged

CR1956

  • Posts: 33
    • HomeURL
Re: encouraging seniors to join ham radio
« Reply #3 on: December 24, 2019, 01:58:49 PM »

Quote
seniors know how to make and hold a conversation

With others their age but most are not even into the 21st Century yet technically.

       
Quote
amateur radio would help them to socialize

With whom?

       
Quote
today most radio amateurs are seniors themselves

Very unproven

       
Quote
the average age of arrl members is 65+


Only about 12% of hams are ARRL members.
Logged

ONAIR

  • Member
  • Posts: 3823
Re: encouraging seniors to join ham radio
« Reply #4 on: December 24, 2019, 09:42:59 PM »

You may want to check out retirement communities.  It seems that a lot of those communities have seniors who are still operating on 11 meters, so it may be easier to convince them to get a ham ticket!
Logged

RFBURNS73

  • Posts: 3
    • HomeURL
Re: encouraging seniors to join ham radio
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2020, 11:27:54 AM »

I'll be 67 in a week. Background: I have been a professional monitor, mostly Morse, for about 35 years. I also have been sending Morse on occasion (regular key, no vibroplex or other type). My career started in the US Army Security Agency. Afterwards I worked for Uncle Whatshisname. I would love to get into QRP as well as 2 meters and any other technician class freqs. My question is how hard would it be to pass the technician class tests? I'm pretty well versed in theory and have done my share of homebrew. I haven't found a local ham or organization here in north Florida to mentor me. I'm making a 3 month trip on a sailboat throughout the Caribbean later this year and would love to have a good ham radio and license.
Logged

KD0VE

  • Member
  • Posts: 1490
Re: encouraging seniors to join ham radio
« Reply #6 on: April 06, 2020, 12:39:30 PM »

"RFBURNS73"

From what you post you would have little difficulty passing the general exam after a bit of study.  I used an on-line programmed teaching tool called "hamtestonline" that was very effective.  I easily passed both the tech and general exam on the same day.  The test proctor actually encouraged me to go ahead and take the extra class exam but I deferred since while it was possible I'd pass the test I had a ways to go to understand the theoretical. (still do).

Good luck. 
Logged

K7MEM

  • Member
  • Posts: 1058
    • JavaScript Electronic Notebook
Re: encouraging seniors to join ham radio
« Reply #7 on: April 06, 2020, 02:06:25 PM »

My question is how hard would it be to pass the technician class tests? I'm pretty well versed in theory and have done my share of homebrew.

Passing the Technician test should be pretty simple. The Morse requirements have been eliminated, so all you have to do is pass a 35 question test. You experience is great, but the Technician test is mostly about operating privileges, UHF/VHF operations, procedures, and equipment. The test is made up of 35 questions selected from a pool of 423 questions. Practice exams can be had on this site at https://www.eham.net/exams and at https://www.qrz.com/hamtest/. The question pools are the actual questions used on the tests.

KD0ZGW is correct about taking one, two, or all three license class tests in a single session. People do it all the time. When I was testing, before they dropped the Morse requirements, I took the Technician and General class tests in a single session. That included the 13 WPM Morse test. Then, a few months later, I took the Advanced and Extra class tests in a single session along with the 20 WPM Morse test. The only reason I waited, was to insure my Morse Code speed was up to snuff. The Advanced and Extra class tests are effectively combined now.

Note that passing the Technician class exam will only get you voice privileges on 10 Meters and all of the VHF/UHF frequencies. Plus CW privileges on 80, 40, and 15 meters. To provide yourself with the maximum flexibility while on your trip, you should take all three exams. The Extra class license will give you full privileges on all amateur bands.

Testing is usually handled by Amateur Radio Clubs through their VE (Volunteer Examiner) system. To find the closest place near you go to arrl.org and do a search on "Exam Sessions" in your vicinity. I can see, for example, that the Tallahssee ARS gives tests at the local American Red Cross, every two months. If you require a mentor, the clubs should also have them available. Many clubs provide study classes for a levels.

Good luck with getting your license.


Logged
Martin - K7MEM
http://www.k7mem.com

W9IQ

  • Member
  • Posts: 8866
Re: encouraging seniors to join ham radio
« Reply #8 on: April 06, 2020, 05:15:56 PM »

A great post, Martin! Thanks, I enjoyed it.

- Glenn W9IQ
Logged
- Glenn W9IQ

God runs electromagnetics on Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the wave theory and the devil runs it on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday by the Quantum theory.

KM1H

  • Member
  • Posts: 11155
Re: encouraging seniors to join ham radio
« Reply #9 on: April 07, 2020, 06:42:59 AM »

I would encourage the seniors to stop at the Tech, we really dont need any more haunting the lower bands with all their medical problems and general grumpiness for all to hear including the commercial interests wanting to steal our frequencies.

If they want to actually learn some of the theory then encourage it.

BTW Im a senior ;D

Carl
Logged

PU2OZT

  • Posts: 171
    • HomeURL
Re: encouraging seniors to join ham radio
« Reply #10 on: April 07, 2020, 01:05:25 PM »

Guess I qualify as a pre-senior. There are less than half forums here which really interests me. I have no time to waste into VHF, Repeaters, Contests, Fox, Em-com, SSB, QRP and so on. Now, let us enjoy ham-radio the way we want, we're grown enough to know exactly what suits us. It is already a great challenge performing well the very few ham activities we're into. The less agencies stand in the way, the better.

Oliver
Logged

K6CPO

  • Member
  • Posts: 839
Re: encouraging seniors to join ham radio
« Reply #11 on: April 07, 2020, 01:32:07 PM »

My question is how hard would it be to pass the technician class tests? I'm pretty well versed in theory and have done my share of homebrew.

Passing the Technician test should be pretty simple. The Morse requirements have been eliminated, so all you have to do is pass a 35 question test. You experience is great, but the Technician test is mostly about operating privileges, UHF/VHF operations, procedures, and equipment. The test is made up of 35 questions selected from a pool of 423 questions. Practice exams can be had on this site at https://www.eham.net/exams and at https://www.qrz.com/hamtest/. The question pools are the actual questions used on the tests.

KD0ZGW is correct about taking one, two, or all three license class tests in a single session. People do it all the time. When I was testing, before they dropped the Morse requirements, I took the Technician and General class tests in a single session. That included the 13 WPM Morse test. Then, a few months later, I took the Advanced and Extra class tests in a single session along with the 20 WPM Morse test. The only reason I waited, was to insure my Morse Code speed was up to snuff. The Advanced and Extra class tests are effectively combined now.

Note that passing the Technician class exam will only get you voice privileges on 10 Meters and all of the VHF/UHF frequencies. Plus CW privileges on 80, 40, and 15 meters. To provide yourself with the maximum flexibility while on your trip, you should take all three exams. The Extra class license will give you full privileges on all amateur bands.

Testing is usually handled by Amateur Radio Clubs through their VE (Volunteer Examiner) system. To find the closest place near you go to arrl.org and do a search on "Exam Sessions" in your vicinity. I can see, for example, that the Tallahssee ARS gives tests at the local American Red Cross, every two months. If you require a mentor, the clubs should also have them available. Many clubs provide study classes for a levels.

Good luck with getting your license.

The ARRL listing of exams isn't complete.  There are a lot of VECs that don't list on ARRL, even though the league allows it.  Each session has to be entered individually and if a VEC maintains a specific schedule, it's not possible to enter a group of exam sessions all at once.  For instance, my VEC holds exams (under normal circumstances) four times a month in various location around our county.  These are not listed on the ARRL site, but if you were to search the ARRL site you won't find them.

Logged

PU2OZT

  • Posts: 171
    • HomeURL
Re: encouraging seniors to join ham radio
« Reply #12 on: April 07, 2020, 07:30:50 PM »

...For instance, my VEC holds exams (under normal circumstances) four times a month in various location around our county...

In Brazil, and more specifically São Paulo, they (Anatel agents) may hold exams four times... a year! (I quit checking schedules time ago) but hey, it's not if it were the region counting more hams in Latin America.
Morse code exam, compulsory for upgrading from Tech, is something so lousy that you'd never picture it fully. Pure madness. Won't give any details for not shaming them agents. No online exams in sight in this lifetime, you bet.

Thus, I have decided, until further notice pending on an hypothetic Anatel agents awakening, to grant myself full privileges of the highest brazilian radio-amateur class, propagation, antenna, radio and amplifier permiting.

Oliver
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up