[CQ-Contest] K5GO speaks out for youth in contesting

[ScottW3TX]

Jim makes some excellent points.

Let me expand on one point, plus add a bit more editorial

As a parent of three school age children, one each in grade, middle, and
high school, I can tell you that school security is paramount.

If one or a group of older guys approaches a school to demonstrate radio
science then invite the students to his/their homes to operate a radio
station then alarm bells will go off full force.

In our school district it is impossible to be involved as a parent with
any school activity unless one has state security clearances. The
background check and clearances are easy to apply for but take a while.
Also be prepared to be TB tested and have all your vaccinations.  Inviting
students to ones home to demonstrate radio would get one immediately shut
down as a basic safety concern.

My recollection is that ARRL and The Radio Club of America (RCA) have
developed programs for schools to introduce Amateur Radio.  This may be
the best place to start rather than re-inventing the wheel.

Ideally the students would have a "school station" to use on-site and via
remote control.  What a great way to bring together science, geography,
math, and social skills. A big challenge is having a teacher that is
licensed and motivated to keep the station going, and having a school
board that will support an Amateur Radio class so that many students can
experience the avocation.

73, Scott W3TX



On 3/27/16 4:36 PM, "Jim George" <n3bb at mindspring.com> wrote:

>Seems to me that if no one hears about ham radio any more, the chances
>are 
>dim that there will be enough new people in the hobby to keep it viable.
>I 
>recall when any day, the 40 meter novice band was a beehive of activity.
>That's no longer the case. Certainly, radio clubs in schools are a great
>way to encourage that exposure. Others include Boy Scout merit badges and
>visits to local ham radio stations. Another historically good "exposure"
>is 
>Field Day, since that includes both the hobby in general as well as a
>very 
>spirited operating environment with contacts coming lickety-spit. There
>are 
>a lot of other "killer apps" for ham radio, including the electronics
>(kit 
>building projects) and operating (DXing, radiosporting, IOTA, SOTA, QRP).
>Several of these involve travel (IOTA?) and hiking/climbing (SOTA).
>
>I spoke with the new ARRL president at Orlando's HamCation about radio
>clubs in schools and he cautioned me that security in public schools is
>so 
>critical, in addition to the cost matter, that private/charter schools
>might be easier for getting club stations installed and mentored. I'm
>less 
>concerned about radiosporting, per se, than the more fundamental matter
>of 
>the hobby overall, and especially with the younger people. Radiosporting
>and DXing will be with us always, if there are people to talk with.
>
>Jim N3BB
>
>At 09:22 AM 3/27/2016 -0500, Kelly Taylor wrote:
>>Paul is right: what he says is what attracted us and continues to
>>attract us.
>>
>>That's not the relevant question, however.
>>
>>He's also right to say apples and oranges. But the problem is the kids
>>like oranges and aren't even trying our apples.
>>
>>We can't continue trying to market ham radio the same way it was
>>marketed 
>>to us. When I got my licence, my friends were blown away by my ability
>>to 
>>work Europe. Today, kids see that and go 'meh.'
>>
>>"But why can't you see their faces? And what's that weird beeping noise?"
>>
>>Competition will attract some, but to slaughter an old saw from Alfred
>>P. 
>>Sloan, you can sell an old man a young man's hobby, but you can't sell a
>>young man an old man's hobby.
>>
>>So, how do we sell it as a young man's hobby? By showing young people
>>enjoying it. I've seen photos of some mall displays, Field Days, etc.,
>>where the average age of presenters was between 60 and 70.
>>
>>Bless them for trying, but the image is of a hobby that's dying.
>>
>>The nerd factor also cuts both ways: jocks won't get it, but the kid who
>>revels in his electronics class will love it.
>>
>>73, kelly, ve4xt
>>
>>
>>
>>Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> >> On Mar 25, 2016, at 3:46 PM, Paul O'Kane <pokane at ei5di.com> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> On 23/03/2016 21:01, David Gilbert wrote:
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> I enjoy contesting, but it's a legacy that isn't going to
>>successfully 
>> compete for attention among anything beyond a very small percentage of
>> today's youth.  Most of the young ops at Field Day or contest stations
>> are only there because of some family connection, and most of those
>>don't 
>> last.  Even the great majority of new hams the ARRL likes to tout as
>> evidence of a growing base don't stick with the hobby ... if they did,
>>we 
>> wouldn't be having these discussions.  I do think that contesting is
>> drawing a growing percentage of hams, but the base is getting old fast,
>> and from my perspective here are some of the reasons:
>> >
>> > David is right, but also wrong - especially when he compares
>> > ham radio to the internet - that's an apples and oranges
>> > comparison.
>> >
>> >> 1.  Ham radio is expensive, especially of you actually want to be
>> competitive instead of just participating.  Rigs and antennas cost far
>> more than a decent computer or smart phone, both of which offer far
>>more 
>> effective communication and opportunities for competition.
>> >
>> > "Expensive" applies to all competitive activities when you
>> > want to be competitive - to include time and money spent
>> > on diets, training, equipment, travelling and expenses.
>> >
>> >>
>> >> 2.  Ham radio requires antennas.  Theey are physically obtrusive and
>> often create conflict with neighbors.  Hardly anybody has to fight to
>>get 
>> connected to the internet.
>> >
>> > Apples and oranges.
>> >
>> >>
>> >> 3.  Ham radio is real time and unreliable, subject to the vagaries
>>of 
>> propagation and activity on the other end.
>> >
>> > That's precisely what attracts us, and what distinguishes
>> > amateur radio from most other forms of communication.
>> >
>> >
>> > Why do some people still compete in sailboat racing,
>> > subject to the vagaries of wind, waves, tides and
>> > currents?  Because it's hard and they enjoy it - it's
>> > what gives the activity its name, sailboat racing.
>> >
>> >> Applications like Twitter, Facebook, and online forums (like this
>>one) 
>> are precise, dependable, and "sticky" (you can read and answer at your
>> convenience).  Online game competition against real opponents from
>>around 
>> the world is available around the clock every day with virtually no
>>waiting.
>> >
>> > All hosted on the internet, a public worldwide communications
>> > utility and, for all intents and purposes, free.
>> >
>> >>
>> >> 4.  Ham radio requires a license, one which many of us perceive as
>> relatively easy to get but which isn't needed at all for any other
>> pursuit.  It's a roadblock with no particular advantage to the user ...
>> it's not like it keeps LIDs off the air.
>> >
>> > Licences are required for many competitive pursuits,
>> > including some motor sports (on land, sea and air), and
>> > competition licences are required for some athletics
>> > events.
>> >
>> >>
>> >> 5.  Almost any video game out there is more immediate with more
>> intense real time competition than ham radio contesting has.
>> >
>> > Apples and oranges - powerboat racing can be a lot more
>> > immediate and intense than sailboat racing.
>> >
>> >> I honestly hope that radiosport hangs around for a while ...
>> >
>> >> I do too - it's fun for me and I have a lot of money invested in
>> it.  But it needs to change if it's actually going to draw new people
>>to 
>> the game.
>> >
>> > Does sailboat racing have to change?  If not, why not?
>> >
>> >
>> >> I've tried to come up with the idea of a contest format that would
>> capture some of the real time features of a video game, particularly
>>the 
>> ability to directly and immediately counter (either by action or by
>> score) the actions of another contester,
>> >
>> > Don't golfers (other than in matchplay) compete in
>> > isolation?  The all have access to real-time scoreboards,
>> > and we could have them too, although some contesters
>> > prefer others not to let others know how they're doing.
>> >
>> >>
>> >> Ham radio simply doesn't have the fascination for anybody today that
>> it did for us ... and if we were young again in today's world it
>>wouldn't 
>> for us either.
>> >
>> > Why then, some two hundred years after the introduction
>> > of mechanical propulsion, do some people insist on
>> > racing without it?  The answer is they do it for its
>> > own sake.
>> >
>> >> If we want to change the demographics of our hobby, our hobby is
>>going 
>> to have to change.  It's as simple as that.
>> >
>> > Sure - change is good so long as our hobby, amateur radio,
>> > doesn't change into another hobby.
>> >
>> > 73,
>> > Paul EI5DI
>> >
>> >
>> >
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