Interesting that nobody has yet mentioned Scouting and Jamboree on the Air (JOTA).
Here is an article about a troop using amateur radio to coordinate dispersed camping groups and train for em-comm. https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2019/12/24/assistant-scoutmasters-help-scouts-get-trained-to-be-amateur-radio-operators/ A troop in our area uses radios to allow groups of older youth to hike in separate groups. The fast group (always the youth, oddly) checks in every 15 minutes. If they can’t make contact, they stop until they can. With a license, they can switch from FRS/GMRS to amateur bands and hike with a bigger gap. JOTA is on the third full weekend of October every year. This year, we had over 9000 Scouts participate in the US. https://k2bsa.net/jota-usa-reports/ From running a JOTA station a couple of times, I believe that prospective hams have just as wide a range of interests as active hams. We need a shotgun approach with each pellet (metaphor falling apart here) being someone who is excited about that activity. You don’t have to be an expert—I ran the “send your name in Morse Code” station and I’m not a CW operator—but you do need to represent how that activity could be exciting. Hands on, do everything hands on. No butts in seats for PowerPoint. Anybody ever say “I think I’ll go home and watch a nice PowerPoint preso tonight”? Here are some photos from our JOTA station this year. I’m the guy with the white hair. Oh, that doesn’t help. White hair and beard. Note the empty log sheet in front of the KX-line. HF was pretty dead. Must do digital modes next year. https://www.flickr.com/photos/walter_underwood/albums/72157711437854946 wunder K6WRU Walter Underwood Radio Scouting Chair, Pacific Skyline Council http://observer.wunderwood.org/ (my blog) https://www.linkedin.com/in/walterunderwood/ > On Dec 23, 2019, at 9:59 PM, donov...@starpower.net wrote: > > Eric, > > > If you've grown tired of the usual awards, there's the "Alphabet Sandwich" > Call Letter Award. See page 4: > > > https://ftp.unpad.ac.id/orari/orari-diklat/pemula/organisasi/internasional/REG%203/JAPAN.pdf > > > > 73 > Frank > W3LPL > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Eric J" <eric_c...@hotmail.com> > To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net > Sent: Monday, December 23, 2019 6:56:22 PM > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Reaching Across the Chronological Divide > > I mean this sincerely. I'm NOT in grumpy-old-man mode, though I can do that > very well. The majority of QSOs with new people are about as interesting, > enduring and deep as a short chat in the checkout line at Safeway. Many > aren't even that interesting. PSK ops just throw on a brag tape and walk > away. It's a pleasant few minutes, but it rarely leads to anything more. It > does happen, but who in their right mind would spend thousands of dollars and > hours on the outside chance it does? The opportunity for superficial chit > chat with strangers was NEVER on my mind at 14 when I got interested in ham > radio so it's a bit much to expect teenagers today to care about that. > > Ham radio has always been chock full of quick award-qualifying or contest > contacts. Worked All Continents, countries, states, provinces, counties, > grids, lighthouses, summits, guys named Fred. Go back as far as you want in > QST and it's full of honor rolls, contest results...and SKs. It's nothing new > to this period in ham radio. But ham radio has also been full of interesting > challenges too. It's never been a very homogeneous hobby. I have no > predictions except things are rapidly changing and that will continue in > whatever direction those entering the hobby take it. The Baofeng Techs will > change it as much as us Heathkit Kids did. Change is good. > > Eric KE6US > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to donov...@starpower.net > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to wun...@wunderwood.org ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
