Getting your amateur radio license is quite a feat, especially if you’re a young person with little (to potentially no) technical background. You had to find out about the hobby and be motivated enough to learn about RF theory and other complex technical topics. You probably had to teach yourself how to study as well.
While this is quite impressive, even more impressive is helping other young people earn an amateur radio license.
There are plenty of hurdles to get over to achieve that goal. It starts with breaking the many stereotypes that surround amateur radio in the minds of young people. I can confidently say that from my experience, being a member of the amateur radio club is (for whatever reason) not seen as the most popular thing you could do. I was awarded plenty of nicknames throughout middle and high school. “Walkie Talkie Girl” is one of the names that remains in my memory from my early middle school years—just after I received my license.
After the nickname died down, I stopped trying to correct every comment directed toward me about amateur radio. It turned out to be much more effective to simply focus on my friends and classmates who were genuinely interested in learning more about the hobby. You won’t be able to “debunk” the stereotypes of amateur radio that live in your peers’ heads, but there will be some who are interested and want to learn. Once you discover who these people are, you’re well on your way to helping them get licensed.
Another next step toward helping your peers get licensed is showing them what you can do with the hobby and why you love it. If you love DXing, you can act as a control operator and let them work a few stations or show them a few of your favorite QSL cards. If you like CW, show them how to make CW contacts on the air. This one can occasionally be challenging because it’s very likely they won’t know Morse code, but there may be a way you can decode and let them send the responses with the function keys. Get creative! If you enjoy working satellites, you could take them with you while trying to work a pass. If you like contesting, explain to them what it is, how it works, and maybe even invite them to follow your score on an online scoreboard during your next contest.
With scoreboards in mind, another thing that would help you get your peers licensed is relating amateur radio to things they are already familiar with. Everybody understands the concept of a live scoreboard, especially those of us in school. We frequently see them for sporting events. By comparing amateur radio contesting to a sport, for example, you’re helping your peers make the connection between something they are familiar with and the hobby you love. (Now, whether contesting is or is not a sport is a whole separate debate.)
We also must consider the logistical parts of helping your peers get their license—namely, studying for the test and getting to a testing session. Studying as a team is an enjoyable and effective way to hold each other accountable, in the same way that working out together would be. Even if you are working on different license classes, you can still set studying goals together and use this strategy. It’s actually convenient if one of you is working on a higher license class than the other. You can pass on your tips and tricks, like mnemonic devices, key words, or “trick questions” that you may have struggled with.
When they’re ready to take the test, share the locations and schedules of local VE sessions. You can even put them in contact with local clubs. If getting to a testing session is a challenge for them, you could also point them in the direction of online exams, which have recently become a popular way to take the tests.
These steps and tips are just a start to how young people can help their peers get licensed. Of course, not every tip will work for everyone. It may take some practice, patience, and trial and error before you can figure out what will inspire your peers to get their amateur radio licenses. Your perseverance will be invaluable as you work toward this goal.
Even though it can be challenging in the beginning, pursuing this goal really pays off. Because of the motivation provided by young licensed hams and mentors at my school, around 20 students have earned their amateur radio licenses. Just remember, while you may not be able to convince every one of your peers that they should get their license, even inspiring one other person to do so is an accomplishment… and could change their life.
Watch Katie’s interview with Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio, where she discusses, among other topics, the importance of getting more young people involved in amateur radio.
The post Ham Radio Youth Insights: How to Help Your Peers Get Licensed appeared first on OnAllBands.