Dying UK Clubs

[sigord]

As the Secretary of the Hastings Electronics and Radio Club (UK), unlike many other clubs we still survive well and provide regular training, because we not only strive to provide interesting lectures etc once a month. Also unlike many clubs we try to cover a broad range of interest, although partly due to old age few of our members ever go on air, and many are not even licensed.I always maintain many UK clubs have closed, because they wrongly devote all their activity to Amateur Radio.

Some old timers even dare to criticise such as me. Because of being too old the clamber around on ladders to experiment with HF antennas, unlike with the majority of HF, I make numerous DX contacts using Echolink lasting up to say 20 minutes. Strangely old timers claim even using Repeaters, let alone with a PC is ‘ not really Amateur Radio ‘. Probably because using Echolink is so easy, and they prefer to treat AM as a challenge using DX on HF as a SPORT. This is in spite of the long DX QSOs only consistently possible on Echolink are surely far more effective in fostering the Spirit of World HAM Radio, then bragging about such as the few seconds contacts in contests backed up by innumerable QSO cards!

Gordon

[M6PAP]

Gordon,
I have just been reading a long thread on this subject on a national motorsport forum, it's not just radio related.
Our motor club used to meet every week but it just tends to be committee meetings these days.
Once per month we used to have a social event of some kind, talk, quiz, basic first aid etc but numbers kept dropping out of 100 members we got down to six attending the last social event, and we were giving them a free buffet!!
Also Worthing & District ARC have moved from weekly meetings to fortnightly as numbers were dropping.
With the motor club we sent out a questionnaire to see what peoples thoughts were, those that replied said that they can get all the information from the internet or club magazine, which seems to be the general theme on the national motorsport forum.
So I guess we stop putting the information on the internet and get people back in the club room!!
I will add that both of these clubs are active in what they do but just don't seem need club nights to get the info!!

[G6NHU]

Sorry Gordon, I really disagree. Using Echolink, QsoNet etc to talk to amateur radio operators is no different (in my opinion) than going to the pub, or the radio club and talking to other radio people.

I don't understand how a conversation via the internet using TCP/IP can be described as having a DX QSO. The distance is irrelevant, there's no RF involved so DX or local has no meaning.

I have no problems with repeaters at all to aid mobile communications, they're an essential part of the hobby.

Treat the QsoNet/Echolink systems as they're intended, an communications system for people who don't have the capability to transmit RF but please don't claim they're radio because they're not.

On the subject of radio clubs - I agree that clubs are dying and that's a real shame. When I first started in this hobby, I used to go to the local radio club every week and the club was well patronised. I suspect that's rare these days though.

A group of us locally are in the process of creating a new radio club but one which encompasses all forms of wireless - amateur, cb, shortwave listeners, anyone. I'm hoping that it'll get a lot of interest and that we'll have a fun time.

[1ABM3]

Does OFCOM or RSGB want the UK to have a future in Amateur Radio?

This will probably seem to be a bitch or rant but it’s not meant as such.

By trade I am a computer programmer and over 15 years (while in the USA) I was roped into help support a failing local computer club. In part the biggest problem, which it was facing, was a shift from a more technical user to home users.
What has this to do with Amateur Radio you may be asking yourself. Well when I went to stay at my sisters over Christmas, I was introduced to her new neighbor, a retired gentleman, who was also a radio amateur. Now I have come across radio amateur before at the computer club but have never really had the time, to give it more than a nod of acknowledgement.

My profession, has lead me to a personal interest in electronics, more towards digital, embedded, DSP. Having more time on my hands these days, talk of Amateur Satellite, new modes such as PSK31 with homebrew hardware/software etc, caught my imagination. I was told that, I am just the sort of person Amateur Radio/clubs need as they are, in a lot of areas are in serious decline.

So I picked up a copy of the Foundation Licence NOW! And out of curiosity a copy of the Intermediate Licence, Building on the Foundation. The later was what I pretty much expected. A good general overview of the skills needed (given building modify equipment).
Somewhere in the past I had heard about the new novice licence, which is targeted at getting a different generation involved. Upon opening, Foundation Licence NOW!, I thought brilliant, a clear basic overview, which combined with a local club/operators should get you up and running. Then quickly moved onto the Intermediate, thinking can I take both exams on the same day? (I’m not bragging, as I said before I have had an interest in electronics for a long time).

As I was reading, Building on the Foundation, I was joined by my number one daughter (14) who really struggled at first with why I didn’t just use Skype or MSN. Being a bit techy like mum and dad, she grew a bit more interested and started flicking through Foundation Now! (Although an earlier query about European boys may have had more to do with it).

So I ask “Do you want to do the foundation course with me”
“No, I cannot be bothered with the Morse code thing.” She responds
To which I respond “not any more”
Which was quickly followed by “durrrrr….” As she passes the open book back to me.

Being guilty of not RTFM in the past I re-read…history of morse….why it was needed…why it’s no longer needed….
Screech of breaks, tearing of gears as I force reverse gear. “For the foundation license there is no test as such, but a suitable standard must be reached.”

WTF?

Why the negative reaction to Morse? It’s not Morse itself but the timing. Going back to when I was asked to help out at the computer club, the biggest problem that we faced keeping new members, was the steep learning curve in a faster paced lifestyle.

A potential member would come in who for example, wanted to improve basic skills and how to use a word processor for the novel he was about to write. Resident experts would try to help by explaining how computers work, how to format floppy disks using the command line, then on to writing batch files for backups. All things, from the user’s perspective, had nothing to do with them. So, that was the last that they were seen.

The first thing the club changed was with new members, was to stay on topic, as once they picked the skills they needed, some would leave, however others would look around at what others were doing and move up a stage. In 2000-ish a small group done very well for themselves commercially by teaching themselves Visual Basic for Applications, with only a little help from me and another member who, although C programmers but could help with basic fundamentals such as variables, logic operators etc. These members, would a run for the hills if programming was a prerequisite for membership.

So why the Morse prerequisite; talking to a few amateurs the reason is “I had to bloody well learn it, so you bloody well will”. Do you use it? “No.” or “I use a computer to do the work for me” or “no PSK31 is where it’s at now”.

Will the Morse prerequisite stop me, no, but… I don’t have a lot of spare time and… I have other interests, so it could put the license back a bit.

My plan at the moment maybe to pick up a hackable 10m rig and experiment on the so called freeband for the following reason, given to me bay a licenced amateur. New multimode VHF/UHF rigs are expensive, you could chance you hand with old kit but…. A new all band HF rig will come in at a similar price…. For 200, you can by a new multimode 10m, you are more likely to use most voice and digital forms of comms from home and abroad. If the habit bites then go the whole hog and license up.
In response to G6NHU, A group of us locally are in the process of creating a new radio club but one which encompasses all forms of wireless.
Perhaps you could also try to work it as a hackers space/club as well, as it could bring in a lot of the robot/ Arduino/makers crowd.

[G6NHU]

Just to give you an idea of what the 'suitable standard' is.

At a local club, as part of their Foundation training they run a Morse Appreciation session. That lasts about half an hour for a group of four and nobody has ever failed it.

The trainer talks a bit about Morse code and what it's used for and then passes around a Morse key with a copy of the code. Each person is asked to use the key and send their name. The speed is unimportant, it's just about translating those written characters into tones.

Then once they're all done, the instructor sends a couple of words, very slowly, allowing time for each student to look up what the letters are.

That's it. Job done. Nobody fails. It's an 'appreciation' and an understanding why Morse is still used, nothing more.

[1ABM3]

That's it. Job done. Nobody fails. It's an 'appreciation' and an understanding why Morse is still used, nothing more.

Can I ask why bother testing for it at all? Having spoken to a couple of people today (before reading your responce), the thing that put them off, was having to learn a new language as well as a new form of communication. As well as, if you do not have any electronics experience, a lot of other things.


No disrespect intended but wouldn't the time be better spent on ergonomics for example?

[M6PAP]

Can I ask why bother testing for it at all? Having spoken to a couple of people today (before reading your responce), the thing that put them off, was having to learn a new language as well as a new form of communication. As well as, if you do not have any electronics experience, a lot of other things.


No disrespect intended but wouldn't the time be better spent on ergonomics for example?

My guess is because it exists in the hobby as does electronics but I wont be touching that either, but guess we should know about it!
Other sensible thoughts/reasons are available!!