Field Day is still six weeks away, but I want you to think about inviting a kid to Field Day this year. Instead of just complaining that kids aren’t interested in amateur radio anymore, do something about it.
Invite them to help you set up antennas.
Show them how you power the rigs with a generator, or even cooler, by charging a battery with a solar panel.
Let them sit in front of the rig, show them how to make contacts, and log for them. To make it easier for them, make up a cheat sheet with the callsign spelled out phonetically and the exchange, also spelled out phonetically.
Let them operate for as long as they’re interested. When they’re done, thank them on contributing to your club’s total score.
Answer every single one of their questions.
This may not win them over immediately, but I can assure you that it will make an impression on them. To increase your chances of success, find a kid that’s already technically inclined. Invite a bunch of them from the high school’s robotics team, for example.
If you don’t have any plans for Field Day, then make some. Then, go find that kid. If you don’t, then you don’t have any right to complain that there are no kids in ham radio.
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