Much of the time, I really try to focus my articles on those who are new to the hobby or those who may not be as versed in the theory of it all. I like to follow the K.I.S.S. rule. This keeps me from going down paths I don’t understand, but most importantly keeps the message on a level everyone is able to comprehend and apply.
Social media has produced so many subject-matter experts—not only in amateur radio but covering just about every topic under the sun. I belong to way too many amateur radio pages across several social media platforms. Many of these pages I subscribe to are focused on either new operators or basic theory. And I am so disheartened on a daily basis with these groups for one reason: For the most part they do nothing to encourage people in our hobby despite their stated purpose to do so.
Don’t get me wrong. There are no absolutes in this arena. I am not saying everyone acts like this, but I am saying that there is a very noisy minority that overshadows the kind souls trying to help. Many times, both in print and in person, a few dogmatic people can dampen the efforts of the majority.
So, what exactly am I talking about? Let’s look at a few examples and, more importantly, how we can overcome these attitudes. After all, if we don’t learn from the past, will we ever move forward?
Have you ever been in a club meeting and either a new person or a longtime member walks in with a letter brand HT they purchased from a non-ham radio website? The barrage of insults begins to fly, and the person’s self-worth is immediately deflated to nothing before they even ask the question they need an answer to.
I get it. We all have our favorite brands and models. We feel strongly about their features and benefits, and we want our colleagues to feel as secure as we do with our choices. But let’s face it: We all make the selections we do for very personal and specific reasons. Those reasons may be as complex as preferred ergonomics or as simple as “it looks cool.”
Both can be equally important to the user.
I would encourage you to stop and think before you speak. The individual obviously thought enough of you to bring their new purchase to the meeting and seek your guidance. Ask them a couple of non-threatening questions about its features. Why not even ask for permission to pick it up and investigate it further?
Ask them what their questions are and answer what you can. Show interest in them, regardless of the new item they brought. Help them explore all they can do with this new HT. Make it about their discovery and not your opinions.
Think of what our clubs and our hobby would look like if we all started encouraging current and potential members regardless of their knowledge or equipment choices! What would membership numbers look like in a couple of years?
The other place I see some of this negative behavior in our hobby is social media. A newbie or seasoned operator exploring a new rabbit hole of amateur radio asks a simple question and… look out! There are always those waiting to pounce and destroy. Every unhelpful response, from “Did you read your manual?” to “Are you an idiot?” begins flying around, and the initial question remains unanswered.
Many times when I get an email or other written form of question, I take a minute or five and spell out my answer longhand. My fear is that I will answer the question with my level of understanding, and the requester will receive an answer they don’t understand. That is what happens when they read the manual. They see the answer but don’t have the level of understanding to comprehend what they need to do next. The good news is that with our help, they will get there.
Far too many times we see our role as an “Elmer” as someone who indoctrinates a newbie into our way of seeing and doing things. The real job of an Elmer is to help operators discover who they want to become in the greatest hobby in the world. Help them grow into their own high-functioning operator.
I like to use the “bring them alongside” method as opposed to the “force-feed” method. I can sit and pontificate for hours and no one will have learned anything. At each club meeting I talk about upcoming on-air events and where/how I will be participating. Then I end with an invitation for anyone to come with me to operate. They may not even have a license yet, but they can sit and participate in a special event using my call sign. I only need to be there to help them understand what they are doing and why they are doing it.
It is for that very reason I have recently installed a second operator position in my shack. Now when I invite a new person or a seasoned operator who wants to expand their horizons, they can sit next to me and observe until they are ready. Then they can just pick up the mic and make the magic happen.
I implore you to lay down the daggers of self-righteousness and insult and take up the mantle of encouragement. Your life and our hobby will be better for it.
Until next time, 73!
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