[CQ-Contest] Why Are EUR Contesters Younger - Example (KE3X)

[kenlow7 at aol.com]

Felipe J Hernandez fhdez at islandnetjm.com wrote:


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Ken

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Very interesting read.. I see a couple of our assumptions being confirmed by you.

but also 3/3 aint bad! you got your three children to get licenses under a year!!!

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If heavy brivary wasnt envolved then this is a clear story of success, and I believe is much harder to get your own children to get interested in Ham radio than what it is to get others to do it.

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Hi Felipe -



Thanks for the note.?? In my case, I didn't have to use any more bribery than I normally.?? I just tried to make it as fun as possible.?? Without getting too deep into 'parenting technique' (way beyond the scope of this reflector) tricks that have worked include:



- creating a 'ham radio war room', with big sheets of 2-foot x 3-foot white art paper on the walls, so each time a concept came up that I needed to explain, I would illustrate it with markers and tape the sheet on the wall.? after 3-4 months, we had 3 walls covered.?? But K3DIO's powerpoint slides are really great to begin with.



- keeping the radio in the same room (a guest bedroom) as the study materials so I could use it in demonstrations when we covered a topic (what does QRM and?QRN mean, how does RIT work, or "let's check if we have any propagation on 80-meters during the day", etc.)



- SUGAR!!?? my 15-year old took a SAT-prep class where the instructor threw Mars bars at the kids after they got a certain number of correct answers.?? My son told me that was the 'coolest' teacher he ever had.?? When?trying to keep kids' attention for 60-minutes straight, I do it in short increments and give them rewards.? Popcorn, Mars bars, whatever works.



Functionally, I don't see much difference between saying 'Hey, let's do 60-minutes of radio and then go get ice cream" versus "Hey, how about you mow the lawn (part of your allowance anyway) and then we'll go get ice cream."?? I prefer to think of that as 'fun with Dad', not 'bribery' per se, but others have a different definition



In general, my position with teenagers is "OK guys - lying around and doing nothing is not an option.?? I have lots of great ideas of how to use your time constructively (like radio), so if you don't have any better ideas, we'll use mine today."??? That approach seems to work well enough.



Also I am not beyond presenting Amateur Radio as a 'differentiator' which can help kids get into college, as long as they are passionate enough about some aspect of it.?? I've even had them read some of the profiles of the ARRL Foundation award winners.?? That line of argument tends to?resonate more?with my 15-year old than my 10-year old, though.



I just keep changing the game plan until something works, since in my opinion the 'end' (getting their licenses)?justifies the 'means'.?? It's sort of like broccoli - it's good for them, although they might not?know it?yet.



73, Ken KE3X