Traveler III
FCC making an effort to keep licensing going. I need to keep studying.
https://qrznow.com/usa-conducts-first-all-online-ham-radio-exam/
https://qrznow.com/usa-conducts-first-all-online-ham-radio-exam/
Ham exam online
- Thread starter WilC
- Start date
Explorer I
Explorer I
The website has soooo many ads that it takes a couple of minutes to load them all. Seriously, it's bad. Probably bogged the server down from all the interest too haha
Explorer I
Member III
- 2,827
- First Name
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- Downs
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20468
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- KK6RBI / WQYH678
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- USMC 03-16, FIRE/EMS
It'll be interesting. I forsee a lot of the old guys coming down on this as a big negative.
Member III
Yup, two of our local VECs have gone to Email which is much easier and faster. Not sure why the old Elmers are resisting it. On a positive note: I have also noticed that three separate local clubs in Cincinnati (all searchable on ARRL for testing) do not offer any fee for tests. I hope this will bring some more new folks into the hobby.
Advocate III
- 5,584
- First Name
- Michael
- Last Name
- Rose
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20990
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- W7FSB
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- US ARMY Retired
I was just discussing this with our Club President as we are looking for new ways to test Next Month... from my understanding the ARRL isn’t accepting online testing YET. Yet being the key word here... I was reading the ARRL news letter today and caught hints of new testing proceedings in the works, but as if today March 30, 2020, nada.
Luckily ARRL is only one of the VECs and they don't make policy, they still answer to the FCC. The FCC opened the door to remote testing in 2014 but, except for Alaska, there just hasn't been enough demand (until now) to make the change. I think this will be good for the hobby.
Hope so anyway.
Hope so anyway.
Advocate III
- 5,584
- First Name
- Michael
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- Rose
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20990
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I hate to be a nanny nay sayer... but I think this would kill the all ready dieing clubs.
I think you are 100% right about it killing clubs. But I think the clubs it is going to kill are the ones that keep holding onto vestigial practices with a death grip. I'm not anit-ARRL but they are just another club.
The digital modes that are becoming popular have attracted a new (younger) crowd who are not afraid to navigate complicated systems online. This has subverted the local clubs and now people are beginning to question why they should patronize them. I'm honestly fine with it. Any clubs that disappear will so so because they refuse to adapt to the paradigm shift that has clearly been coming for several years.
I think many clubs will re-invent themselves and that this will benefit the hobby overall. I'm already seeing it happen here locally.
Sorry for the rant Mike, it definitely is not directed at you (I'm sure you know). Maybe I've just been cooped up in the house too long haha!
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Advocate III
- 5,584
- First Name
- Michael
- Last Name
- Rose
- Member #
-
20990
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- W7FSB
- Service Branch
- US ARMY Retired
@J.W good points... I was hoping to open up discussion, just as I passed along this same link to my Club. Our club here however isn’t opposed to online testing and is looking into it because omit would help our numbers grow. We have members in 4 maybe 5 counties... 4 of the largest by land size ad smallest by population.
Also as you most know, I am a new Ham. I got my license in February, and finally got on the air a week ago last night. If it wasn’t for members of my club talking with me, showing me their Shacks, mobiles, and HTs I was never going to get in the air. They helped me make an informed decision in my first radio. And then when it came in the pointed me towards my first Ham Project (building my antenna). They heard my predicaments surrounding where and how I had to set up my station and gave me some great ideas to overcome my problem. The founding member of the club gave filled my head until it exploded with information.
I feel my club is one of those that is going to hurt in numbers from online testing, but only because people won’t be forced to come to the physical meetings, but if this past weeks business meeting and Sunday nights weekly Net is any indication of how this club is going to do in years to come, I’m less worried... in person we usually have about 10 members present for the monthly business meeting, last week, we had 14 check ins, and 3 listeners. We are working diligently to let the public know about our club and what we do for the community.
When I first got into the Ham hobby it was for trail coms... Now I am diving into this hobby as far as my pocket book will allow me to. My wife wants me to get deeper into it so I can make contacts further away. She loves hearing the “Rag Chew” nets every night.
So what are some ideas to help promote the hobby to the new generation?
What could help a club gain more interest, especially if the testing moves online?
I was looking forward to Field Day this year. Our club was going to go camp out and set up in the National Forest for a couple of days and have a social campout in conjunction to the actual field day. Now we are looking into other ways of joining the contest. What are you doing for field day?
Also as you most know, I am a new Ham. I got my license in February, and finally got on the air a week ago last night. If it wasn’t for members of my club talking with me, showing me their Shacks, mobiles, and HTs I was never going to get in the air. They helped me make an informed decision in my first radio. And then when it came in the pointed me towards my first Ham Project (building my antenna). They heard my predicaments surrounding where and how I had to set up my station and gave me some great ideas to overcome my problem. The founding member of the club gave filled my head until it exploded with information.
I feel my club is one of those that is going to hurt in numbers from online testing, but only because people won’t be forced to come to the physical meetings, but if this past weeks business meeting and Sunday nights weekly Net is any indication of how this club is going to do in years to come, I’m less worried... in person we usually have about 10 members present for the monthly business meeting, last week, we had 14 check ins, and 3 listeners. We are working diligently to let the public know about our club and what we do for the community.
When I first got into the Ham hobby it was for trail coms... Now I am diving into this hobby as far as my pocket book will allow me to. My wife wants me to get deeper into it so I can make contacts further away. She loves hearing the “Rag Chew” nets every night.
So what are some ideas to help promote the hobby to the new generation?
What could help a club gain more interest, especially if the testing moves online?
I was looking forward to Field Day this year. Our club was going to go camp out and set up in the National Forest for a couple of days and have a social campout in conjunction to the actual field day. Now we are looking into other ways of joining the contest. What are you doing for field day?
I've watched how you have taken to Ham radio and I think you are a great example of how the hobby will grow. Getting people interested initially is the trick. One of the clubs I belong to here has a "gear library" which consists of equipment we purchased using money from dues, fundraisers, and raffles. We have a few HTs, meters, antennas, and a full HF rig that members can "check out" and try before they spend their own money on equipment.
We still have monthly meetings and field days several times a year but we also have an online (forum just like this) and a Slack channel for people to disucss the hobby and help each other with builds. Both stay very active. I think bringing people together any way we can benefits everyone by sharing knowledge.
Traveler II
The club that proctored my exam 5 years ago was clearly not looking to recruit any new members. They showed up to the testing location late, spoke condescendingly to all of the prospective hams and only showed a little enthusiasm to the one guy who was testing for his Extra. I have been studying for my General and Extra, but simply loath the thought of going to take the test. An online option would be very attractive for me. The overlanding community has been a bigger motivator in my amateur radio experience than that crotchety club.
@KonzaLander
I would have to agree with what was said above. The clubs here have been similar. Unless you are looking to go all in and make HAM your main full time hobby they want nothing to do with you. Only reason I'm studying for a technician's license is trail comms and in case of a backcountry emergency. I have enough expensive hobbies to consume many lifetimes. I just want to be able to legally use my little handheld to KIT with others when I go on another OB outing.
@J.W. It is very cool that you have a club like that. Down in Denver there is a wood working club that sounds similar. Open to all skill levels and very interested to share skills and ideas with all willing to listen. They maintain a large lending library and have been known to pay to send members off to schools and events to refine their craft. Alas the Elmer who first got me thinking about getting my technician Lic has fallen out of touch (likely passed on). So I'm going to keep studying the "No Nonsense Technician Class License Study Guide" and study pointers provided by @brien during last year's push to get folks licensed.
Hopefully an online test and cram session will become available before Summer. If not I'll use the AARL site to find a local cram/exam and hope it does not get #CoronaCancled :D
Boort
Advocate III
- 5,584
- First Name
- Michael
- Last Name
- Rose
- Member #
-
20990
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- W7FSB
- Service Branch
- US ARMY Retired
This is exactly what I’m talking about. I hear so many bad testing experiences. Mine was the opposite. I went to the first business meeting of the year where they were electing new officers and each position was described in detail to me not even having a license yet or even a member of the club yet. I was even asked to become an officer which I politely turned down because I wasn’t a member yet. The meeting ran late, and one of the VEs has an emergency situation at home, but they all stuck around late to get me tested, and even pushed the General Exam to me when I stated I wasn’t ready. The fallowing months the club has been behind me personally and they ask for my advice and input on club activities as I ask for direction and leadership in my own personal exploration into the hobby.
I don’t want to see the clubs die. I find clubs like mine are vital for the hobby, and I see so many stories like yours of just the opposite. If online testing becomes standard then maybe the clubs could get new blood younger blood in and rejuvenate the clubs.
Advocate III
- 5,584
- First Name
- Michael
- Last Name
- Rose
- Member #
-
20990
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- W7FSB
- Service Branch
- US ARMY Retired
I like these avenues. Getting Graham onto slack would be interesting... imagine a 90 year old Elmer who can CW at such high speed it almost sounds like a buzz, but can’t even turn on his iPhone. Graham isn’t your typical old crotchety Elmer I keep hearing about. He takes every one in and tries to pass his knowledge on to those of us who will listen. He is the founder of our club. And he loves his club more than he loves the hobby itself.
I think it’s his ambition to leave his legacy behind for generations to come that has me wanting to make sure clubs don’t die out.
