In the January issue of QST, ARRL CEO Howard Michel, WB2ITX, dares us to imagine the future of amateur radio. He points out that the demographics of the ARRL membership does not match the demographics of amateur radio as a whole, and then say, “They are different, and they want different things.”
He then goes on to enumerate some of the steps the ARRL is taking to meet the needs of the future generation of hams, including starting a new magazine called On the Air aimed at new hams and the Lifelong Learning Program.
He then talks about “verticals.” This terminology is kind of unfortunate because he’s not talking about antennas that need radials, but rather special interest groups (SIGs), including “Radiosport, Experimenters, and Emergency Communications.” The ARRL already has contesting and emergency communications departments, and publishes QEX magazine for experimenters. I’m not really sure how the “verticals” are going to differ from the ARRL’s current activities in these areas, but it is a good idea to think about how to serve special interest groups. Another SIG that the ARRL might consider is digital communications. I’m sure you all have some ideas about this, too.
What really caught my eye is what he has to say about clubs. He writes:
Another way we play to engage hams is through local clubs. ARRL will be hiring a national club coordinator in 2020, who will be charged with developing new ways for clubs to organize and operate. We will continue to support traditional clubs, clubs that meet monthly for business and social events, organize ARRL Field Day activities, etc. But traditional clubs are not the future of clubs. Young people join causes, not clubs.
Our focus will be on developing ways, and an infrastructure, that members can use to organize themselves in ways they want, to do things that they consider meaningful. I can see these new clubs organized to support special events, such as a marathon; to engage in STEM education; or prepare for disasters. These types of clubs exist now, but they may need to conform to a set of rules designed for traditional clubs. Can we scrap the rules and provide meaningful support? To aid in this, club leadership could be another vertical. ARRL could provide training in soft skills, such as how to run a meeting or give an effective presentation.
I think some of these ideas are spot on. I’ve written many times here about what the ARRL might do to help clubs. I have also served as the Michigan Section Affiliated Club Coordinator and developed and provided leadership training for club officers here in Michigan.
I’m excited really that WB2ITX realizes how poor the ARRL support for clubs has been and is considering creating the position of a national club coordinator. Heck, I might even apply for the job myself!
He’s saying all the right things. He’s spot on with clubs; ARRL really dropped the ball on club support decades ago. I think he recognizes traditional clubs are on life support. Frankly, I’d like to see ARRL dissolve the elected division and regional hierarchy and reorganize it all in a vertical / focus area-based structure.
I hope the organization can execute his proposed changes.
Reminds me of the RSGB Convention forum hosted by the ICQ Podcast people. They were talking about Hubs as well as Clubs.
He is definitely saying a lot of the right things, I am cautiously optimistic.
If he really wants to think out of the box, then ARRL could develop virtual clubs. With such an online community, meeting times, locations, and transportation would not be an issue. Elmering could be done 24/7 thru volunteer services of knowledgeable hams who have “teaching” experience. Videos and video conferencing would enhance the club offerings, and larger geographic boundaries would be accessible. The one caveat is, it has to be monitored and what you would get out of it would be dependent on what you put in.
This sounds very promising. In particular, I’m looking forward to seeing how support for nontraditional clubs works out.
What goes around comes around. It wasn’t so many years ago that our local general club split into factions, because some folks had a ’cause’ – 2M FM repeaters, which wasn’t considered ‘real radio’ by the old guard, and a waste of club money.
Spin forward a few decades, and that special interest group (SIG) has now become THE general club, because like it or not, most folks are not narrowly focused specialists (Lazarus Long – “specialization is for insects”).
Don’t get me wrong. Lots of folks love to do ‘deep dives’ on particularly subjects, and folks that have done so can be very valuable as mentors to others in the club. With few exceptions, though, most folks get bored after a while doing only one thing, and will want to try something else. They shouldn’t have to join or start a different club, though, to try it out.
Bruce, I like your virtual clubs idea.
Gayland Grant W9AKW says;
I like the idea that Howard Michel has started { He then goes on to enumerate some of the steps the ARRL is taking to meet the needs of the future generation of hams, including starting a new magazine called On the Air aimed at new hams and the Lifelong Learning Program.} This is great to help the new folks coming into Ham Radio. It seems we don’t have the [elmers] today as we had years ago. And then a lot of the clubs are not technical minded in radio electronics. The new folks don’t have anyone to teach them to use a multi meter, a oscilloscope, or many of the instruments we use to work on our radios or make adjustments. I have found that the new Techs will go out and buy a dipole antenna when they upgrade. They spend $ 100.00 or more when $ 50.00 or less in materials they could build the same antenna. At the same time learn something and put the info they studied to work. Out of hundreds of new Extra class license folks I ask them what is the formula to do a length of a antenna. 468/fmhz. I have had only one that came back to me with the answer. I do a lot of SMD work of boards that a friend and I we have custom built. I could etch a board but not hundreds. So hope that stops the buy it remark that will come back. I would be willing to teach some of the new people how to do these. They are just as easy as eating pie. Then winding toroids is easy. All this is easy but just needs to be someone to help get a person going. I have nothing against the new digital modes, I use them a lot. But take FT8 on 6 meters or a band that is a propagation sensitive band when the cycle is low. But the new comers are not learning how to watch propagation and use it to make contacts by voice, I call it the ol school method. But I’m saying all this to show most clubs lose new members because they are never helped. Does your club work with the Boy Scout groups in your area? There are your eggs in the basket for future members. Or start a junior club for these young ones. The will pass up the OMs in quick order. Now to wind this up, It takes people to do all this. THIS IS WHY WE HAVE A BUNCH OF FAT OL MEN SITTING AROUND A TABLE TELLING HOW IT IS TO BE DONE. But none of the FAT OL MEN does nothing. And when a energetic younger ham comes in gets there license and starts pushing to do things and nothing moves except the younger Ham moves out the door.This is kinda like a other things better wake up Or the sign on the door says NO MEETING TONIGHT OL MAN DIED.
It seems to me that it is impossible to guess what will transpire in the magic of the world called ham radio. We can only guess.