At the RSGB Convention 2025, there was an interesting talk from Kjetil Vinorum LB4FH – He was licensed in 2016 at the age of 31 and currently serves as the country manager for both Parks on the Air (POTA) and Worldwide Bunkers on the Air (WWBOTA) in Norway. His talk was about elmering newer amateurs in the digital world.
Event link: rsgb.org/main/rsgb-convention-2025/rsgb-2025-convention-livestream/
Live stream link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z-ItoClYHo
We let AI take a listen to the talk, and provide us with a summary:
Elmering in an Online-Centric World
Speaker: Kjetil “Bob” Vilovrum (LB4FH)
What Is Elmering?
Elmering is the heart of amateur radio mentoring — one operator helping another to learn through experience.
It is informal, voluntary and practical, distinct from structured training courses.
At its core: sharing knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm within the community.
How the Landscape Has Changed
Modern learners expect digital, multimedia teaching.
The ways hams discover the hobby have multiplied — not just through clubs and books, but via:
-
YouTube tutorials and livestreams
-
Discord servers and online clubs
-
Facebook and specialist forums
-
Video calls and digital meet-ups
The result is a far wider reach, but sometimes a weaker local connection.
Online Communities
Discord now hosts thriving groups for SOTA, POTA and satellites.
Facebook remains a major platform for quick advice and discussion.
Forums such as the SOTA Reflector preserve detailed technical knowledge.
WhatsApp / Signal work well for coordination, less so for mentoring.
Each platform has its own tone and culture; all contribute to today’s Elmering ecosystem.
YouTube as a Teaching Tool
Kjetil began creating videos in 2018, showing portable operations and outdoor activities.
YouTube’s low entry barrier makes it a powerful medium for outreach — a smartphone can reach thousands.
However, not all content is equal:
-
Genuine training (e.g. Learn Morse Code – Part 1 of 10) is valuable Elmering.
-
“Top 10 POTA Shocks!”-type clickbait adds little.
-
Sponsored reviews need careful scrutiny and transparency.
Creators must also navigate online toxicity; the community has a duty to foster a positive atmosphere.
AI and the Future of Mentoring
Large Language Models such as ChatGPT will increasingly be the first contact for newcomers.
Kjetil’s tests showed serious factual errors when asked about Norwegian licensing — proof that current AI systems are:
-
US-biased,
-
prone to “hallucinations”, and
-
opaque about their sources.
Despite this, AI offers potential for custom community-trained assistants to give accurate, local guidance — provided time and funding allow.
Post-COVID Lessons
The pandemic forced every club to rethink education.
Online and hybrid models flourished, with groups such as OARC (Online Amateur Radio Club) and NARC Live leading the way.
Many clubs continue to blend online talks with hands-on workshops, like Bright Sparks youth sessions teaching soldering and simple kits.
Yet many operators remain hesitant to return to in-person meetings — rebuilding that social element is vital.
Key Challenges Discussed
-
Hands-on training: nothing replaces sitting beside an operator at the rig.
-
Safeguarding: mentoring minors now demands formal protections and transparency.
-
Recruitment & retention: many new licensees never go on air; local anchoring is crucial.
-
Inclusivity: entering a club meeting can be intimidating — a friendly welcome (and perhaps cake!) makes a difference.
-
Organisational limits: national societies like RSGB / NRRL operate with small teams and finite budgets; volunteer energy remains essential.
Takeaways
-
Online Elmering broadens amateur radio’s reach into adjacent communities such as LoRa, Meshtastic and maker culture.
-
Always verify information, whether human-made or AI-generated.
-
Physical mentoring remains indispensable — teaching by doing, side-by-side.
-
The best future is hybrid: digital reach combined with local connection, keeping the social spirit of the hobby alive.
Quote of the Day
“We will not be fully online.
We still need to sit next to each other, help each other,
and remember — we’re a social hobby.”
— Kjetil Vilovrum (LB4FH)
Questions from the audience:
1) Bridging online to in-person help
Q: With huge online communities but sparse local density, how do you make the physical connection?
A: The case study ham simply kept asking online (via OARC etc.) until a nearby volunteer stepped up—then sealed the deal with cake. Persistence + broad asks work.
2) Hybrid club activity and youth engagement
Comment/Q: NARC shared their shift to NARC Live (now fortnightly), global guest talks, and a Bright Sparks soldering club for 8–9-year-olds leading to Foundation candidates.
A: Kjetil applauded the model and the success getting people back in a room post-COVID.
3) Irreplaceable 1-to-1 Elmering
Comment/Q: Side-by-side mentoring beats online for operating skills; UK dropping practicals makes this more vital—clubs could plan staged practice (SSB now, digital later).
A: Full agreement: nothing replaces hands-on, immediate feedback at the rig.
4) Retention, practical assessments, and local anchoring
Q: Should practical elements be required to force contact with local clubs? How do we improve attendance and retention from online courses (which lose ~10–15% early)?
A: Mixed: forcing contact might reduce pass numbers, but many licensees never get on air. Online courses are great for reach, yet they weaken local ties—clubs need deliberate anchoring to retain people.
5) Safeguarding in 1-to-1 mentoring
Q: How do we mentor minors safely today?
A: Treat safeguarding as mandatory: don’t be alone with a child; involve parents or leaders; have two adults present; in Norway, police certificates are standard. Organisations may need policies, but admin overhead can deter volunteers.
6) Lowering the barrier to clubs & supporting parents
Comment/Q (parent): Provide “what is amateur radio?” resources for parents; allow parents to stay; club rooms can feel intimidating to newcomers.
A: Agreed—welcoming practices (and yes, cake) help; clearer parent-facing info would ease safeguarding concerns and first-visit nerves.
7) What should national societies do?
Q: What could RSGB/NRRL (etc.) do better amid falling membership and optional affiliation?
A: Real constraints: tiny paid staffs and limited budgets. Pro-grade training content costs money; volunteer energy remains essential. No silver bullet offered.
