> Anyone have any success stories to share
> about how to attract new blood?
Here's what worked for me, as 'new blood': mentoring. It's just like Bill
Seabreeze says, if you help a new guy out you'll help activity. Basically, I
got loaner gear and an on-site experienced mentor to help me learn the ropes.
In my case, the home QHT won't support a tower so I'm a rover. I learnt quite
a lot this way and am on my way to building up my own rover station. Most
definitely for me, a big attraction is the construction aspect of VHF and
microwaves.
Another thought is a local VHF club, especially for construction projects. A
club can often buy kits/parts at a discount compared to individual purchases.
For an interesting alternative, I bought and built a HamHUD II from their Yahoo
Group, and the hams there were GREAT to an APRS beginner like me! So it's even
possible to have a 'club' over the internet. In any event, having frequent
meetings helps keep me interested and enthusiastic. A VHF club can also have
some test gear (and someone who knows how to use it!) which would help a lot
for the testing phase.
One of my greatest fears is that I'm going to build up a bunch of individual
boards, test them all separately and then do something really stupid
integrating them into a working rig. Being able to see other member's gear and
ask their advice is great for easing that fear.
Finally, something I don't have but really wish for: Local VHF chatter. I have
never once heard anyone on 146.520 despite listening in during the afternoon
commute almost every day. Simplex operation in general seems restricted to
prearranged 'secret' meetings. I say 'secret' because there's plenty of
repeater traffic and going simplex seems to be a way to keep the conversation
more or less off the record. It's tough to test that brand new W1GHZ 222
transverter when you can't get anyone interested. Maybe it's an antenna issue:
it's easy to hit the repeaters with the mag mount whip on the washing machine
but it's not so easy to make a simplex QSO. I really can't say, but I'd really
like to have more practice on simplex so I can work more efficiently in the
contests...
Just some thoughts from a new guy.
--buck KC2HIZ FN32at/R
NOTICE: The information contained in this electronic mail transmission is
intended by Communications Software Consultants, Inc. for the use of the
named individual or entity to which it is directed and may contain information
that is privileged or otherwise confidential. If you have received this
electronic mail transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and
delete this message from your system without copying or forwarding it.
_______________________________________________
VHFcontesting mailing list
VHFcontesting@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
|