Amateur Radio

I love the idea of using it, but between getting married, looking for better jobs, and maintaining friendships, I haven't found the time to study for the amateur radio exam, which appears to be considerable.

GMRS is $35 and a license so that I can use a radio with my family, husband, and licensed friends while skiing or mountain biking, making localized communication easy, while the cert process was mostly friction free (looking at you, ancient FCC website and the guides needed to figure out licensing- something less dedicated people forgo, hint hint). The friction for getting ham licensed makes it difficult for young people who don't have much time for additional hobbies.

I do hope it's around when I'm older and (hopefully) have more free time!

Allow encryption.

I don't want to talk on open air with anyone and everyone able to listen in.

Make it affordable isn't a reasonable request...

How about don't trash talk inexpensive equipment. "This $4k radio is what you need, not that Chinese junk." Watch the majority of people will just walk away.

My unused general license is a perfect example. The multiple free HF antennas and free LMR400 run to my free 30' antenna mast I was given didn't even put a dent in offsetting the cost of a radio to use the equipment I have rotting away.

I'll keep my dual band tyt and my 2m Kenwood. If there's an emergency where it is useful, I'll use it.

I listen to the hams on my scanner and I’m not trying to take a test, buy a fancy radio just to shoot the shit….I have the whole internet in my pocket I can do that with.

I travel the US with my scanner and listen in….i just don’t see the appeal other than the electronics side of it, and there are other areas to learn about that.

I’d like to want my tech license, but I just don’t know why….sounds like a membership to the dork club, but I’m already in it, so I’m conflicted.

Give them a reason. I got my license for giggles. It expired because I had no reason to use it or means to get equipment. Honestly if you (whoever cares to push it) can't find niches it complements or fits in.... Why even? You can talk across the planet with <$50 in electronics via used PCs, tablets, raspberryPi, etc... unlicensed and near anonymously.

Plus... Ham Is what? A voice call? Ick. You'd have a better chance at brining back Cybikos.

At the end of the day all you need are dank memes.

I'm not on it myself because permits. I am on meshtastic and helping to grow the mesh, because no permits. I'll end up getting GMRS (instead of continuing to use it illegally) because no test, but haven't yet because permit. "No encryption" is also pretty lame.

I don't even mind that if I could use it, all there is in my area are geezers talking about their lawnmower and what they're grilling today, that's kinda nice actually, but I have to learn 433 questions because you never know what'll be on the test and my ADHD respectfully declines.

That's just me, I'm sure others have other reasons.

Make it so federal agents don't show up if you do it wrong?

Present it as an alternative to social media -- one without the kinds of mental health issues and corporate controls.

Present things like electronics tinkering as a life skill instead of a hobby. That includes the Tech license.

It's a long shot, sure.

Make clubs accessible for younger people again. Lots of clubs became old man's clubs that aren't where kids want to hang out. Clubs are a great way to get access to gear without having to buy it and be able to use it via the club license(s).

I think showing the different types of communications available, including sat coms is helpful. Not everyone wants to ragchew with old men.

I think it’s pretty screwed. What is ham radio? The name means nothing to today’s youth, it’s just confusing and they’ll move on to something else. Our attention is so fractioned these days that no one will stick around to find out more, we’re never bored. And you need boredom to get into this type of thing.

What can you do with ham radio? Talk to strangers? You can do that online with milliohms of resistance whereas getting on ham radio is megaohms of resistance in comparison. What I’m saying with this resistance analogy is that ham radio has a big learning curve and friction. You’re competing with the internet, social media, games. Ham radio simply doesn’t have a good hook, it doesn’t have a good incentive.

Tell them it is cooler to talk on radios than headphones playing CoD

Make it easier to get into? I've wanted to for years but when I looked into studying for the test (which can only be taken in another city in my state and only a few times a year), I found a like 4 hour long video and when I tried watching it it was like someone speaking a foreign language. I don't have a ton of free time to study for the test and it seems like I need to already be a master electrician to even study for the test.

So yeah, maybe don't make it so difficult and more people might want to get into it?

I’m not a youth but as an outsider who’s seen a few posts from this community, one thing I feel like you guys could focus on a little more is the typical day to day experience of amateur radio operating. What you’re actually doing and not just the tech/setup stuff. That stuff is interesting but w/o the context of what you do once you’re done setting up your radio would be interesting to see more of as someone who is genuinely interested in getting into the hobby.

I found the most effective way to get a nerd into ham is: mention that ham radio is in the criteria to become an astronaut. Suddenly they're doing the study courses all on their own. Granted, they have to already be a nerd. ;)

For the non nerds, the prepper angle seems to work with some.

The thing you have to deliver is the "why", not the how. If they've decided they want to learn it, they will.

I have a ham radio

Get them interested in LoRa. Ham radio might follow after that. LoRa is the new ham radio anyways.

Meshtastic. It's cheap and the UI is familiar and it's fun to share.

Talk to them about climate change