Comment on What Can We Do to Get Youth into Ham Radio?

• beastlykings@sh.itjust.works ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  I mean, if you look at it that way, yeah. But to me the science is cool, and there’s a few other aspects that I enjoy as well. I outlined it here.

  You can learn the technology for significantly less if you’re motivated, and handy. $100 for a 5w HF radio. That’s half the fun is learning.

  But also, if that’s not enticing, then maybe it’s just not for you, and that’s ok 🤷‍♂️

  source

  • Twitchy1@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    Those inexpensive, although less traditional means is the answer to the question that started this thread.

    They need to be promoted and advertised above all else. Once someone is interested then you can add in the expensive things.

    Example, I race RCs. Just the chassis of some of the cars is well above $500(I use $100 3racing Chinese knock offs and extremely very competitive with them btw). These cars are raced on perfectly flat and prepared asphalt so it’s very niche. The club wants members to race… We don’t tell people that come to watch that they should buy the $1500 car&radio, nobody will join. We have several classes that are “starters”. The cost of the cars is $100-200 ready to race. It’s not fast at all but it’s cheap enough to see if you want it. It’s also cheap and easy to maintain. Most people enjoy the inexpensive racing that fills the majority of the day.

    The hobby needs to adapt to the complaints/requests of people not actively involved but willing to give it a try.

    source

    • beastlykings@sh.itjust.works ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      That’s fair, yeah important to make it clear what’s available and what will do the job.

      A lot of people have a buy once cry once mentality, which I do agree with in a lot of ways, but that’s a hard sell.

      RC cars is probably worse, because your equipment takes a literal beating. That’s how it was in the fpv drone world, 100mph into a tree and you’re done for the day, probably a hundred or two in damage, if you’re lucky. So n in that world too I flew cheaper stuff, still fun, but still hurts to take a crash and destroy a $50 camera it vtx, etc.

      That’s where loaning equipment out comes into play. I loaned out drone stuff, to be used with me present and teaching. And that’s what I try to do with ham radio, come hang out, we’ll do a POTA or chase some DX. But I feel like a lot more people these days are losing social skills and don’t want to hang out, or as evidenced in this thread they don’t even want to use their voice to talk on the radio. There are digital options, but this complicates the lending/teaching/social aspect 🤷‍♂️

      Again, I don’t have the answers, it’s a complicated problem in a changing world. But there sure are a lot of black and white opinions in here.

      source
  • easily3667@lemmus.org ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    Agreed, but OP is asking how you convince people (ie it’s not ok if it’s not for you).

    But that’s good to know there are more approachable things to learn.

    source

    • beastlykings@sh.itjust.works ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      I guess that’s fair. My “it’s ok if it’s not for you” was more of a specific platitude for him because we’d already discussed some of the options available, and he’s already put some effort in and decided it wasn’t for him 🤷‍♂️

      I agree we need to entice more people, I don’t have a good answer as to how. If someone looks into it, and makes an informed decision, then I’m not going to twist their arm.

      One thing I’ve tried with my friends kids is to take them out and do POTA in the woods, let them run a pileup. They really seem to enjoy it, enough to stay studying, but not enough to follow through. What can you do? 🤷‍♂️

      source