There’s a slightly scary story on the Southgate Amateur Radio News service today about the next generation of amateur radio operators.
Have a guess how many amateur radio operators under 25 are members of the RSGB?
A disappointing 295.
Catch the full story: Younger Radio Hams Disappearing
Something I wasn’t aware of – membership to RSGB is free to all amateurs aged under 21, as well as to amateurs in full-time education between 21 and 25 years of age.
If you know an amateur who qualifies for free membership – get them to sign up using the form on the RSGB site: RSGB Junior Joining Form
Crisis for the hobby?
So, why is the number so low? Is that we have so few under 25s in the hobby? Or are many unaware of the free membership offer?
It’s fair to say that ours isn’t an overly young hobby, and we tend to take up the hobby when money, time and jobs allow – typically a little later in life. The lack of youngsters isn’t entirely surprising, especially with the current Internet / Tablet / Smartphone generation – but are we doing enough to bring new, younger people into the hobby.
A few months back, a letter I wrote to Radcom was published aimed at encouraging clubs to do more to get the M3/M6 community to be better represented. Maybe this needs to be widened, and clubs need to consider doing more to promote the hobby to the younger generation.
So, what can we do?
Essex Ham’s been trying to find new ways to promote the hobby online, and to make “getting started” information as easy as possible to find online. Our most recent example is our two-minute video designed to get across what we do in a short-and-sweet package. It’d be great to see this shared by the community via Youtube, Twitter and Facebook (Now referred to as YouTwitFace!)… that’s where youngsters hang out – on the social media platforms, and it’s often all about video.
Here’s our current 2 minute promo piece:
What else can we do? One thing I’ve noticed on the various field events and get-togethers I’ve been covering for Essex Ham, is a lack of what’s known as POS material – Point of Sale leaflets and handouts.
Where we have people seeing what we do – are we doing enough to sell ourselves, and making it easy to know how to find out more? If you’re a club or operate a special event station, do you:
- Have readily-available promotional leaflets?
- Demonstrate anything that might interest the under 25s?
- Use computers / presentations so that people can see the wider picture of what we do?
- Offer any material – car stickers, badges, cards, freebies?
- Do you sell your club’s Foundation courses at every opportunity?
- Make it easy for people to register their interest in what you do – email address capture?
If we’re to get new, younger blood into the hobby – maybe we need to think more ‘outside the box’. This year sees the first YOTA (Youngsters On The Air), and targeting schools, scouts and military cadets is something that many clubs have tried with varying degrees of success. What more can we do? Or do we just wait for today’s teenagers to retire and take up whatever’s left of our hobby…
So – come on – what more could (or should) we be doing to get youngsters interested and involved?
It’d be great to see your suggestions, comments and thoughts… if you care…
Pete M0PSX
Maybe we could promote QRP low power (also relatively simple & low cost) operation especially 40m where it seems there is 24/7 activity. A 20 metre long, half wave, dipole aerial and 3 watts gets you into most of West Europe. Consequently you will meet people from different cultures and languages but CW Morse Code enables you to hold a conversation. The mother of one of my guitar students (he’s about nine) told her son that I talk with people around the world with Morse Code. His reply was: “COOL!” So, rather than promote the equipment let’s promote what can be done with the equipment. I hope that is useful. May the ‘Morse’ be with you, Bob G4PVB.
One of the aspects where the RSGB lack, from my observations, is the internet. If they want to attract the younger generation, then perhaps they should be a bit more “2-way” on Twitter – Taking that as an example, they follow just 36 accounts – all organisations/companies. Not a single “average” UK Ham in the list. Not that it really matters, they only use Twitter to send out their automated news headlines.
They aren’t great at replying to e-mails, either – and are quite inflexible when it comes to membership options. Is RadCom a part of the cost? Is it free? (yes, it has a price on the cover) – do I pay for all their other “activities” or could I save some money (and a tree) by going “electronic”? No – it’s full price, paper magazine or nout.
With technology improving and almost all youngsters having a smartphone/computer etc, it’s getting harder to find that “wow factor” that will attract them into a hobby that’s seen (quite unfairly) as an old man’s pastime.
Clubs may also be to blame – if the membership demographic isn’t changing, then have a think about why that is. Are they providing training? Do the talks cover a wide range of topics? Are they putting on events that see the younger end of the spectrum “have a go”?
To their credit, if you Google “Amateur Radio UK”, the RSGB is the 1st result and the links to the “introduction” pages are quite obvious. However, if you reverse those words, the result isn’t quite as encouraging!
Well done Pete et al. This is a really excellent promotional video.
We radio hams, of over 25, have learned our stuff through books and speaking with other others by eyeball.
Our under-25s use smartphones etc and don’t commonly speak to each other eyeball to eyeball (even when waiting at bus stops etc.).
The internet is no substitute for the random experience of talking with someone on air, when you get the excitement of not knowing who will answer and speak to you next after you’ve made a CQ call.
How do we hams get over these differences? To start with it’s down to those of the older group with computer/smartphone skills to take on the graft. Yes, it will be lots of hard work and there is no shortcut.
Good luck
I am of the under 25 and so is zoe. She got in to the hobby after a field day. The things on a day that does no justice is the license does not allow for a tester go. Also show a young person a morse key. Watch them sleep. Show some data or sstv and expect a different reaction. Groups are very old fashion in their ways. Shameful to say even the monday night net could be off putting to younger members.
The rsgb in my eyes is not worth the money and I would not renew as radcom I would not even use for the chickens bedding so I would not pay.
“Where are the under 25’s?”
All this report tells us is that they are not joining the RSGB. There may be many reasons for that, but it does not tell us they are not becoming licensed.
Contrary to the last comment, although I might have issues with the way the RSGB has been managed, I have been a member for over 60 years and shall continue to be for as long as possible. There is no other organisation to represent UK Amateurs on the International scene whether we like it or not.
Hi David.
Yes – agreed. This is RSGB-joiners, not licensed amateurs under 25, and hopefully I made that clear in the original article. The piece on Southgate was suggesting that as membership is free for under 21, in theory every young amateur could/should be an RSGB member – but as you say, there may be reasons for that – sch as no knowing about the free membership scheme.
For what it’s worth, I signed up to RSGB when I joined the hobby, and am very happy to continue supporting the RSGB, although I accept it’s not for everyone. Much of Radcom is ‘over my head’ , and I can see how newcomers could find the contents of the avaerage issue a little daunting.
How many clubs go out and do National Science Week? We put a station on at a primary school each year in March, to put the year 5/6 on the air for two days. They love the CW, talking with people, having the downlink from the ISS, and seeing a 60ft tower overhanging their school come Monday morning! The teachers think it is fab and we always get asked to return to venues, though we try and rotate venues. Yet, when we get on the air under a GB callsign, we never hear any other schools on the air. It might not get them into ham radio now, but may well light the spark in future years. Those on the other end of the mic love telling the kids how they got into ham radio in their early years. JOTA is the same. Clubs cannot moan about no new members, if they cannot be bothered to get off their backsides and get involved with people. Same with RAYNET groups – we have had a lot of new members via scouts, in running comms for their events, yet I know of groups who never sell themselves, and blame everyone else for the fact no one is coming forward. How many G3/4s are retired, yet will not act as Elmer and mentor in teaching M3 courses?
To also put this back to the RSGB, I ask them for posters etc to support Science Week – what comes back is not aimed at that level, they need to segment their PR material for youngsters and older entrants.
I presume if members of One Direction all had M6 callsigns, then we’d never cope, but that is what is required…:)
I deal with air cadets in the West Coast of Scotland. We need a class A license holder in every squadron that can teach Radio, both military and amateur radio plus give up one night a week to run a club station. We have new cadets every year so plenty of young people. What do we lack, adults that are willing to give up their time. Yes there are PVG checks and plenty of paper work which is perhaps off putting. The bottom line is it does not really matter what the RSGB does, at best they can only be a support organisation. We need the Radio amateur to get out there and do the leader ship bit. you are the only people that can change things.
Barrie P Spink GM0KZX
I’m 22 years old and I’ve been licensed since Sept 2011, holding a full licence since August 2013.
The problem is complex.
First of all, who are we trying to attract? 15 year olds or 20 year olds, or both?
I am one of the lucky participants of YOTA 2014 and I’ll be travelling to Finland in July with 3 other team members.
Since this trip has been given the go ahead, I have noticed many positive movements in the RSGB. I’m hoping that a Youth Committee can be formed within the RSGB. This committee can then actively set policy towards attracting younger members. I’ve even suggested having a Youth Column in Radcom as well.
However, there is only so much that the RSGB can do. It needs to be at the grass-roots level. Clubs need to get active.
I’m hoping to make a presentation soon and post this Youtube. I’m also trying to secure a lecture spot at the RSGB convention to discuss youth matters.
Aloha
This may be redundant but it appears the reason for the lack of interest in Ham Radio both in the UK and USA is the exponential growth of modern communications tech that makes it so easy to communicate anywhere.
When a Ham shack photo is shown the response often is ” Why don’t they just use the computer to communicate ” ?
Emphasis on Emcomms is one avenue and a valid one to promote the value of Ham Radio.
Mahalo
G3SEA/KH6