Somehow we have to convince them that radio is MAGIC. I have always
thought this and still do. It's not the fact that I can talk to
someone in Russia which I could also do on a phone or Skype, it's the
media! It will always be magic to me.
73, Zack W9SZ
On 5/26/13, Cqtestk4xs@aol.com <Cqtestk4xs@aol.com> wrote:
> ...and you forgot one other thing.
>
> Today's young people live in an instant gratification society. Why spend
> time studying for a license to talk to someone in Russia when you can do it
>
> today on Skype. I applaud the efforts of those who are doing lots of work
>
> to encourage people to get into the hobby, but it is a tough battle.
>
> Bill K4XS
>
>
>
>
> In a message dated 5/25/2013 10:07:58 P.M. Coordinated Universal Tim,
> k3fiv@arrl.net writes:
>
> Ham radio contesting arguably invented "online gaming", long before
> there was a 'net. If we can remember what it was like to be young, I
> think there's some easy explanations for why our own form of online
> gaming isn't very popular.
>
> Young people typically don't have much money. Maybe they can scrounge
> a few hundred dollars, or convince a doting relative, and buy an XBox
> or such. They can do battle with their friends, and if they develop
> skill at the particular game, they can even win, at least among their
> online buddies.
>
> Contrast that with ham radio. A few hundred dollars might get them a
> basic station scrounged from flea markets - the 100 watt and a wire
> type. They can have a little fun with that, but it's not likely
> they'll ever be able to win anything unless they find an obscure entry
> category where there's no competition. And then they might experience
> a pretty hollow victory.
>
> To win, they're told they need a Real Station -- a modern radio,
> preferably two, at least one tower/rotator/antenna, and assorted
> accessories. Perhaps $5000 would get you started. That still isn't
> likely to be a winner's station, no matter how skilled they become.
> Plus they need to commit rather large chunks of time, since contest
> scores strongly correlate with BIC time. Maybe even schedule a trip
> to a more score-friendly QTH where you can really be competitive.
>
> If they somehow manage to find that wad of cash, they're probably far
> more likely to spend it on a car than on a pair of K3s or a tower.
> They'll be out somewhere doing something at least part of their
> weekends. They won't be pulling all-nighters to try to win a contest
> that they know their station isn't good enough without that extra
> tower, or amp, or set of beverages, that won't get past the local
> Parental HOA anyway.
>
> So they go buy the new version of Call of Duty, and spend a few hours
> gaming before heading out with their friends.
>
> This situation isn't limited to the young. There's legions of new
> hams that committed a few hundred dollars for an HT and got a Tech
> license, who can be coaxed into getting an HF license too. But the
> cost of setting up a competitive HF contesting station is a very big
> hurdle that few cross.
>
> I think a big obstacle to getting new contesters, of any age, is
> simply that the bar to entry is set too high. There aren't any
> categories, in any contest, where a "simple station" can compete with
> others of its kind, to see who has the best radio skills.
>
> If contests provided a way such that "simple stations" could actually
> compete, with each other, perhaps we'd see more contesters, of all
> ages, in the games.
>
> 73,
> /Jack de K3FIV
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