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Manager - N2MG
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Survey Question

Question

How many other Hams have you Elmered?

Results (1585 answers)

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Survey Comments

Elmering via the net

I answered 76-150, although I have no idea how many hams I have actually helped. I've maintained The Rover Resource Page, http://www.qsl.net/n9rla since 1998 and I get around 2 or 3 emails per week from curious folks. Sometimes a lot more when a contest is near. I don't claim to know it all, but I try my best to help each one. And usually if I don't know the answer I can refer them to someone who likely does. So I like to think I'm doing my part.

73
Dan
Dan Evans N9RLA
Scottsburg, IN 47170
{EM78}
IN-Ham list administrator
QRP-l #1269
1/2 of the N9RLA /R no budget Rover Team
Check out the Rover Resource Page at:
http://www.qsl.net/n9rla



Posted by N9RLA on 2002-09-20

Re: What's in a name?

Indeed, what's in a name. I remember reading in QST maybe 10-12 years ago that they were officially adopting the name "Elmering" for any activity that has one ham helping another. It was due to some idea that every club had some old dude named "Elmer" who always helped everyone. QST actively pushed for this term to be official, using it everywhere they could until it's everywhere now. It's definitely an invented and heavily promoted term, not one that came about on its own.

Posted by AD7DB on 2002-09-20

What's In a Name?

Why "Elmer"? Personally, I would not want to be connected with any activity that goes by that name. Indeed, the right name could bring about a benefical change in the way this activity is perceived. How about "Jethro"? Let's see: "I've Jethroed (Jethrown?) 8 hams." No, bad idea. I've got it: call it "Lewinsky." "I've Lewinskied 5000 hams." That might increase participation.
Posted by ME2FU on 2002-09-17

Elmering

I suppose one problem with the lack of responses is that people may be underestimating what "elmering" is, and therefore not believing they have done so. It's my opinion that any amount of encouragement and/or assistance given to someone less who knows less about that particular aspect of ham radio is "elmering". I'm no genius, and no expert, but there are some things that I'm more familiar with than some of the other guys in the area. So I help them out. It doesn't get any simpler than that. I'm sure that sometime very soon they'll be helping me out with something that I don't understand as well as I'd like.
Sure, I realize that most publications place "elmering" in some lofty altitude,which certainly can be true. But the real bottom line is that helping someone else out is.... well.... "helping someone else out." So if perhaps we do a little more a little more often, the spirit of what used to be called "elmering" may thrive again.
73
Bruce, N1VLQ
Posted by N1VLQ on 2002-09-17

Zero needed

I'd agree that the next time you run the survey, zero should be a choice on its own. I suppose I've had about 30 students in classes I've taught a few years ago. The other item needed is follow-up elmering after your students pass the test.

Bill, W4WNT
Posted by W4WNT on 2002-09-16

The Silence is Deafening

I also think having a choice of "0" would have been revealing... and I think the dearth of comments on this survey says a hell of a lot.

Rather than teaching a lot to a few as AD7DB suggested, I think that by and large we are simply ignoring potential hams. And that is contributing far more to the decline of the hobby than some of the other reasons we tend to bandy about (such as the ever popular you-know-what requirement.)

73 Richard VK2SKY (for the record, I have elmered a non-zero number of people over the years, but I admit it's a small number...)

Posted by VK2SKY on 2002-09-16

teaching at home

I used to have classes in my home every week and did that for many years in Alaska and Colorado. Lost count but pretty sure it's over 50. I see the Elmer I had is now gone... I try to continue what he did for me.
73
Frank
Kl7IPV
Posted by KL7IPV on 2002-09-13

Problem is, how many are "still" hams, after all this time? I have no idea.

WB2WIK asked:

<>

My "class" of novices in high school (1973) had 5 students, including me. I am the only one still with a license. Disturbs me somewhat when I think about it but I imagine the ratio could be worse.
Posted by N2MG on 2002-09-13

This should be re-run later...

I agree, this survey should be re-done at a later date. Including the 0 in the 1-5 group makes the majority of us look like selfish goons.

I've only elmered one so far, although I have hopes for more in the future...
Posted by KC7LSP on 2002-09-12

KZ1X is right

There should be a separate choice for "zero".

Not sure how many I have elmered - I suppose one seriously and hundreds via email thanks to my relationship with eHam.

Mike N2MG
webmaster
Posted by N2MG on 2002-09-11

What's included?

If "Elmering" includes teaching code classes and holding hands to get people licensed, sign me up for ~1080, I guess. 20 years of code class teaching, average 15 students per class, roughly 90% success rate, four terms per year...

Problem is, how many are "still" hams, after all this time? I have no idea.
Posted by WB2WIK on 2002-09-11

would have been nice

if the scale had a 'zero' and also a '1-5' selection separately ... lots of hams, I suspect, may have Elmered one or two others, but in this survey, get included in the '0-5' range ... some of the most rewarding experiences of my life are based on seeing what the hams I've Elmered have gone on to do
Posted by KZ1X on 2002-09-09

The Few, the Proud?

I guess it looks like we prefer to teach a lot to a few, than teach little to many.

Posted by AD7DB on 2002-09-09

One or two at a time!


When I was the "Ham Scan" column writer for
ALL OHIO SCANNER CLUB each new ham would be written up in my column. A little spotlight may have encouraged many of the members to upgrade to higher class licenses.
Posted by WD8MGO on 2002-09-09