Spreading the Word About Amateur Radio
A long time ago, I was a Cub Scout. One evening when we has a pack meeting, a ham radio operator came and set up a portable station. I remember he had an antenna mounted on his vehicle. I thought it was cool.
Years later, I was at a meeting and saw a presentation by several hams. One more than one occasion, I worked with amateur radio operators.
In all of my dealings with hams, I cannot recall ever being told, “You can become a ham radio operator, too.”
Many people aware of amateur radio. Many people are not. How do we get the word out?
There have been some events in the Greater Atlanta area that have helped spread the word about amateur radio. The most noticeable was the Maker Faire that took place in Decatur. Several amateur radio clubs got together and a super presentation about many aspects of amateur radio. Several people were amazed about what they had seen and heard.
Jamboree of the Air took place in October. I volunteered to help with a portable amateur radio setup on Lawrenceville. Numerous scouts completed the Radio Merit Badge. It was reported that over 100 scouts (Boy and Girl) turned out. Everyone was given a picture of what amateur radio was about. The presentation was geared to the kids. A whole bunch of scouts actually got on the air. Some of the kids really took to being on the air.
There are other opportunities to share the amateur radio experience, if we but look. The City of Lilburn has a National Night Out every August. The event is all about public safety. The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) was there, along with the police and fire departments. What a great opportunity for amateur radio. With the blessing of the Gwinnett amateur Emergency Service (ARES), we set up a booth explaining amateur radio and how we help in emergencies. We had several people tell us they were interested in amateur radio, and even found a couple of inactive hams who expressed a desire to get back into the hobby! We also had people actually talk on the air over a simplex frequency. There was plenty of room for one or more amateur radio clubs, as well. (Club leadership, please take note!) See our display (minus people) in the picture.
The point is that there are several events that would love to include amateur radio. All we have to do is find them, get our clubs involved, and invite people to the hobby of a lifetime.
73 de KJ4CMY
David