[CQ-Contest] Observations of a young ham

[Ed Sawyer]

Today's young generation gets it "spoon fed, with great graphics, and
instantly".  There's an app for that you know..

 

In my opinion, the only way a young person is going to become interested in
contesting is to get them VERY early and to have them outside on towers and
with big antennas.  That's the one element that is not a handheld or VR
gaming equivalent.  If their world is on a screen and we present our boring
screens, its over.  Its what is behind the screens that is cool.  If that
doesn't capture, its over.

 

The excuse that bad on the air behavior is somehow a problem is bogus.  Just
check out the garbage on line that the kids are used to and ignore ad it
doesn't dissuade them from being on line.

 

Contest DXpeditions, antenna farms, the science of propagation and space
weather, then adding the competitive part is the uniqueness of our hobby.
Trying to compare it to gaming is an effort in futility and doesn't respect
what we actually do.  

 

The next time you are out in the snow is sub zero weather fixing your 160
antenna before a contest, you might want to remind yourself of that.

 

73

 

Ed  N1UR