[Harc] Forms Submission

[w6zzk]

Hi Steve,

Jaye ke6sls here in Eureka!  I've been thinking about your question and
pondering what a good answer would be.  Here is what's been happening in
Humboldt. . .

I do my level best to not only participate in "our" nets.  I also do
what I can to participate in my neighboring nets with counties that
surround Humboldt.  I want to try to learn who my neighbors are and in
doing so, let them know me.  The only area I haven't penetrated is
Trinity.  I don't think they actually have a formal HF net :(
However, many hams in Trinity do check in with our Sunday AM net on
3.855 at 8am.  So at least I know a few hams there.  Have a peek at our
"net listing" page:  https://www.humboldt-arc.org/north-coast-nets/

I fear that most hams conclude that amateur radio is a hobby.  The
learning experience has changed drastically over the last couple of
decades and I figure most have never actually looked at part 97 of the
FCC regs and have no idea what the words "amateur radio service" are or
what that might actually mean.

Much of the new blood coming into the ranks are only interested in
personal emergency communications or alternate communications and
therefore, only participate a few times a year with any nets.  Nothing
at all wrong with wanting some kind of emergency radio and it was my
primary motivation to become licensed.  However, too many people will
never learn how to program a frequency into their radio (only use
computer software & dongle) nor understand why the rubber attenuator
isn't the best antenna to choose for a cut-rate ht bought off amazon.

I perpetually struggle with this knowledge and have been able to mentor
a few hams into actually becoming active, but the vast majority slip
into silence or private groups that will only communicate to one group
perhaps  weekly or monthly.  Their skills are non-existent.  When I
refer to skills I mean:  actual communication skills to relay
information; basic understanding of gain; understanding of coax and
loss; elevation regarding vhf/uhf signals.  All these skills are quickly
picked up by the average ham in a month or two of daily qso's.  They get
poor signal reports, they finally buy a real antenna.  The ht gets too
hot or burns up, they finally buy a real 50w rig.  But the inactive hams
are oblivious to all this common knowledge and will likely remain
oblivious. 

My mom said it best.  "Use it or loose it."

What a few of our members and I have done over the years is this:

* Make a pretty functional web site and recruited helperbees to keep it
up dated and welcoming.
* Added a very functional ham Email reflector.  This is open to members
AND non-members.  It's one of the few ways of really getting
news/events/SK info/questions to all who join our reflector and helps
unite us as a whole group of interested persons.
* Updated and refined our net rosters and preambles in an overt effort
to best serve our isolated area.
* Weekly encourage participants to TRAIN AS NCS which is a never ending
struggle.
* Created a printed glossy handout for new hams that pass their test, or
hams becoming active in the area.  I'll add the PDF we print to this
Email for you to consider using as a template for your own use.
* Added special meetings and focus group meetings we called "Second
Tuesday Meetings" which would dial-in on some particular subject like,
building simple ~1/4 VHF antenna, getting into digital modes, batteries
and power supplies, working satellite stations etc.  However, COVID has
put a nasty dent in this particular effort.
* Perpetually organizing new ham classes and now included Zoom for
remote training.
* Monthly in-person and/or remote VE testing and update the ARRL testing
page with our local contacts.

Then it is really up to the active hams to hear the first call(s) from a
new ham and WELCOME them to amateur radio.  Unfortunately, so few hams
are active, I fear many calls go un-heard.  I do my level best to scan
our repeaters and my main rig is always dialed onto 146.52 for the
visiting hams.

My more personal approach since becoming disabled is attempting to make
direct contact with new hams and putting some positive pressure on them
to actually become active.  It was my mentors that really sparked the
match the lit the fire under my butt.  Now the years have passed and I
am the mentor, lighting the match . . .

The number one thing that works is training new hams.  I figure we are
lucky to get one active ham out of 8 or 10 new hams.  The training is
the food for the whole of the service.  The next important thing is
mentoring and helping the new hams gain the experience and wisdom that
comes from the experience.

I'll share this message on our reflector as well.  Good chance some of
our members will have some good ideas/advice to share with you. We are
very lucky to have some very active and savvy hams aboard.

Thanks for reaching out!

Perhaps we can organize a cross county exercise or event in the coming
months.  Best of luck and hope to work YOU on the air SOON! 

73

Jaye ke6sls


On 7/5/22 1:00 PM, HARC wrote:
> Name: 	Steve Turner, KJ6EIF
> Email: 	stkj6eif at gmail.com
> Message: 	Greetings, I'm the current president of the Mendocino County
> Amateur Radio Communications Service MCARCS, one of our three
> organized groups, the others being the Willits Amateur Radio Society
> WARS and the Mendocino ACS MACS.
> This being a small county in population we share most membership. We
> have helped over 100 new technicians get licensed over the last four
> years but few participate in our weekly nets and we struggle to find
> enough volunteers for formal exercises.
> I'm wondering if you have any methods or techniques you would share
> about encouraging and keeping participation from your ham community?
> Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks and 73 Steve
>

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