You have your license. Now what?

[rogersmithiii]

Our club was brainstorming how we could convert those folks who passed the tech exam but never did anything with it, into active hams.

We decided to host a zoom meeting that dealt with the title of this message.

Our question is what would newbies want covered?

The hows and whys of what band you choose?

Repeaters?

Digital modes like Dstar, YSF, and DMR?

An equipment overview?

How to put together a station?

How to install a radio in a car?

Curious what folks would want to learn about.

Thanks

 

[ToddDubya]

If I had to guess I'd say most aren't stumped with how to install stuff, it's more what to do with it and/or mic fright. But what things are needed for an install is good too.

I heard people talking about roundtables for newbies. You can talk about just about anything, the idea is just to get people talking.

Etiquette and protocols might be a good topic. How to "call CQ" on FM. How not to "call CQ" on FM. How to break into a conversation.

How to use simplex. 2m is 4 MHz wide, so how do you use simplex? There are spectrum plans that basically define channels. Showing/telling people how to find that stuff might help (a link on the club's website). I have a friend who never heard anything and was only listening to 144MHz.

How to setup a radio for repeaters. If you hold a roundtable on the repeater it might be helpful to explain the settings at the beginning in case someone can hear but can't get into the repeater (because they're not setup correctly).

How to make the most of your HT: roll up J-Poles, hand mics, digital stuff, etc.

 

[ffej ruedorb]

Radio etiquette is big for me when it comes to activity. If I was better at talking on the radio I would be there more often. It is something that comes with time on the radio. I usually just get on the local 10m net and occasionally go thru the bands and answer a CQ. Also money is an issue. I have a decent set up for no tower. During the summer I am mostly unplugged because I don’t want to lose my equipment due to a lightning strike. It is a very expensive hobby to dive into and most of my extra money goes into the 2A hobbies, because of the direction mass is headed.

 

[Len-2A Training]

When I lived South of Boston, I had my Icom 5100 running some of the time. Most conversations seemed to be about doctor appointments/ailments . . . I had no desire to try to join those discussions. One repeater in Billerica seemed to be discussions in Spanish or Portuguese, neither of which I speak or understand. I never transmitted!

Here in NH, I have only transmitted as check-ins on NARS and the DMR nets, nothing else.

I don't feel comfortable breaking into ongoing conversations.

I don't think it is being "mic shy" as many, many years ago I worked for a utility and used the radio when needed. Same with my years on the PD.

 

[ToddDubya]

When I lived South of Boston, I had my Icom 5100 running some of the time. Most conversations seemed to be about doctor appointments/ailments . . . I had no desire to try to join those discussions. One repeater in Billerica seemed to be discussions in Spanish or Portuguese, neither of which I speak or understand. I never transmitted!

Here in NH, I have only transmitted as check-ins on NARS and the DMR nets, nothing else.

I don't feel comfortable breaking into ongoing conversations.

I don't think it is being "mic shy" as many, many years ago I worked for a utility and used the radio when needed. Same with my years on the PD.

Not disagreeing, but what's the lesson here to help new people get active?

 

[Len-2A Training]

Not disagreeing, but what's the lesson here to help new people get active?

I honestly do not know.

A guess is that if the tone of a discussion appears to be a "regular coffee club with a few friends", it may not seem to be welcoming to a break-in by an unknown person.

 

[QTHNH]

Clubs and their repeaters seem to vary on tone and discourse. With my recent move, I am now a member of a new club and monitor and participate in their HF/2m/70m nets and their meetings. Compared to my prior club/repeater this one is far more inclusive and encouraging of new hams and a strong spirit of enabling same. Not sure if there is a correlation, but I think the average is lower too ;-)

 

[rogersmithiii]

Clubs and their repeaters seem to vary on tone and discourse. With my recent move, I am now a member of a new club and monitor and participate in their HF/2m/70m nets and their meetings. Compared to my prior club/repeater this one is far more inclusive and encouraging of new hams and a strong spirit of enabling same. Not sure if there is a correlation, but I think the average is lower too ;-)

Making newbies feel welcome is really important. If clubs are not careful, they can give new people the impression that newcomers are not wanted.

 

[dans]

When I lived South of Boston, I had my Icom 5100 running some of the time. Most conversations seemed to be about doctor appointments/ailments .

My late wife used to laugh when I had the radio on while she was in the car. She said all the discussions were about the weather.

 

[ToddDubya]

"Alright class, who's here because they bought a Baofeng for SHTF?"

The 'feng is a gateway drug. Now to learn how to use it. I bet you could get some interest in just having someone walk through the settings and explain what they do and what you'd use them for. CTCSS vs DCS? What's the MON button for? And so on.

 

[Boghog1]

Not disagreeing, but what's the lesson here to help new people get active?

Stop ostricizing people about equipment for starters.

 

[ToddDubya]

Stop ostricizing people about equipment for starters.

I don't think newbies are doing this.

 

[Boghog1]

I don't think newbies are doing this.

no, it is the old hams that do this

 

[ToddDubya]

no, it is the old hams that do this

Sad hams. The first time I got on a repeater someone scolded me about something I didn't even know I was doing (roger tone on the 'feng) and I didn't get back on the air for years. Other radios have that too, but the 'feng has it on by default and the guy was an a**h*** about it. I recall him saying "Whoever has that f***ing roger beep on, turn it off! It's f***ing annoying!" I had to ask if it was me, because I didn't hear it at my end. "Yes, turn it off. It's f***ing annoying." He didn't even join our conversation, just went back to monitoring.

I love to talk shit about Baofengs but I have one and it works just fine. It sometimes receives better than my much more expensive superhet HTs. My only beef is programming via the front panel, which I won't do. And it's only saving that sucks. Setting up repeaters is just fine.

I have a weekly net on 10m with some local guys from work. Gear ranges from an ancient 10m mobile rig to a Flex 6600. Nobody cares, just guys shooting the shit.

 

[Coyote33]

Our club was brainstorming how we could convert those folks who passed the tech exam but never did anything with it, into active hams.
We decided to host a zoom meeting that dealt with the title of this message.
Our question is what would newbies want covered?
The hows and whys of what band you choose?
Repeaters?
Digital modes like Dstar, YSF, and DMR?
An equipment overview?
How to put together a station?
How to install a radio in a car?
Curious what folks would want to learn about.
Thanks

If I had to guess I'd say most aren't stumped with how to install stuff, it's more what to do with it and/or mic fright. But what things are needed for an install is good too.

I heard people talking about roundtables for newbies. You can talk about just about anything, the idea is just to get people talking.

Radio etiquette is big for me when it comes to activity.

if the tone of a discussion appears to be a "regular coffee club with a few friends", it may not seem to be welcoming to a break-in by an unknown person

All good thoughts. Put them together, and do it online. That's right, a "NEWBIE NET". A place where new hams can go and try things out, make mistakes, get gentle corrections, and maybe learn a little about equipment also.

 

[rogersmithiii]

"Sad hams. The first time I got on a repeater someone scolded me about something I didn't even know I was doing (roger tone on the 'feng) and I didn't get back on the air for years."

We have little dicks in the ham radio hobby as well. Just ignore them. Never let anyone's behavior drive you away.

I own a Yaesu handheld, and turning on the Wires X Touch tone burst is way too easy. When someone tells me I've activated it, I just turn it off, and thank them for letting me know.

I ignore the idiots.

 

[ToddDubya]

"Sad hams. The first time I got on a repeater someone scolded me about something I didn't even know I was doing (roger tone on the 'feng) and I didn't get back on the air for years."

We have little dicks in the ham radio hobby as well. Just ignore them. Never let anyone's behavior drive you away.

I own a Yaesu handheld, and turning on the Wires X Touch tone burst is way too easy. When someone tells me I've activated it, I just turn it off, and thank them for letting me know.

I ignore the idiots.

Yeah, it was just a harsh introduction my first time pressing the PTT. We actually had a few people join in on the conversation, which I almost never hear.

 

[s&w3913]

Radio etiquette is big for me when it comes to activity. If I was better at talking on the radio I would be there more often. It is something that comes with time on the radio. I usually just get on the local 10m net and occasionally go thru the bands and answer a CQ. Also money is an issue. I have a decent set up for no tower. During the summer I am mostly unplugged because I don’t want to lose my equipment due to a lightning strike. It is a very expensive hobby to dive into and most of my extra money goes into the 2A hobbies, because of the direction mass is headed.

I've had the same issue... I forget the other persons call sign I'm talking to unless its an old MA ham local ham friend..

 

[ToddDubya]

All good thoughts. Put them together, and do it online. That's right, a "NEWBIE NET". A place where new hams can go and try things out, make mistakes, get gentle corrections, and maybe learn a little about equipment also.

Why online? Get people pressing that PTT button!

 

[Coyote33]

Why online? Get people pressing that PTT button!

I meant "on the air".