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Nick N1IC – How to Save Ham Radio – Part 2 – Pay it Forward (5 Part Series)
14 April 2013 | by Nick N1IC – How to Save Ham Radio – Part 2 – Pay it Forward (5 Part Series)
Thanks for all the feedback on the first part of my conversational view of how to Save Ham Radio. Now I know “SAVE” is a strong word and it’s not that we are “IN TROUBLE” but it’s always good to do some self-refection on the hobby from time to time.
Pay it forward is a simple concept – do something that will have in impact on others and help to do it for the next person.
How does that work for us being Hams? Well, I have thought of a few things but would love to hear your comments on things I might have missed:
- Operate – Actually use all that gear you have. When you do talk to someone new or get out of the normal net you’re in or circle that you always talk too. Sometimes talking to someone new will provide you a new view on the world, topic or life. You could even learn something!
I hear from new Ham’s as well as have experienced it myself – I got my license, my rig, antennas up and I get on the air and no one comes back to me. Or they are talking to people and are rude if I want to join in.
http://nicktoday.com/nick-n1ic-how-to-save-ham-radio-part-2-pay-it-forward-5-part-series/
4 Responses to “Nick N1IC – How to Save Ham Radio – Part 2 – Pay it Forward (5 Part Series)”
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Very true! Many new hams start out on 2m/440, yet the repeaters can be so quiet. If equipped, monitoring and responding when a local new ham keys up can make someone’s day
In the grand scheme of things, I’m still a “new ham”,seeing as I’ve just renewed my ticket for the first time. Even with that,I feel like I’ve been a ham forever. I’m lucky to have been accepted by a great bunch of true long-time operators,and at the same time,I’m considered one of the old-timers and mentors by a good group of newcomers.
One of the things our drive-time repeater group does is to widely vary out morning topics so sometime during the week there is something to interest everyone. We also promote FM simplex as a way to get a feel for weak-signal and DX communication.
Many other ways to help bring new hams into the fold,but the main thing they all require is for us “old-timers” to make the effort and reach out to the new folks.
I don’t think that it’s controversial to say that a lot of hams see amateur radio as a sanctuary from the “outside world”. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but it undermines the long-term health of the hobby.
Ham radio isn’t broadcasting; it’s communicating. Without someone else on the other end to communicate with, the whole thing breaks down.
We kind of need each other in order for the hobby to work, by its very nature. There’s a place for the “Can you hear me now?” aspect, but what keeps people coming back is the actual communicating and conversing. That’s something that no exam covers.
35 years plus new, I try to learn something new all the time with this hobby. I love to hear about what other are doing. I try to listen to what is being said, the other half of communicating. The art of conversation is not practiced much any more if you are not arm chair copy.