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 Previous: The Amateur Radio Crossword Puzzler |  Next: Katrina Lessons Learned Driving Updated Army MARS Mission |
By Phil Temples, K9HI
phil@temples.com
March 5, 2007
With our busy schedules, sometimes going to your local radio club meeting is just one of those things that gets put off. But what if your club meetings were fun? What if everyone came to the meetings? What would it take for that to happen? The author has a few ideas how to make this a reality.
A good way to build a healthy radio club is to have fun activities for the whole family. At the Yankee Clipper Contest Club's picnic at the home of Dave Robbins, K1TTT in Peru, Massachusetts, Tom Homewood, W1TO, teaches Sean (with pole), 6, and Lynn, 8, how to fish. Lynn and Sean are the sons of Khrystyne, K1SFA, and Michael Keane, K1MK, of Watertown, Connecticut. [Michael Keane, K1MK, Photo] |
Tom Wagner, N1MM mans the grill at the Yankee Clipper Contest Club's picnic, while Dave Robbins, K1TTT looks on. Picnics are a great way to have a little fun, eat a little food and talk a lot about radio in a relaxed, friendly environment. [S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA, Photo] |
A colorful, eye-catching newsletter, either mailed to your members or available on the Internet, is a smart way to keep all your members (both current and prospective!) apprised of what is happening in your club. This is the newsletter of Anchorage Amateur Radio Club in Anchorage, Alaska. |
Why not invite a speaker to your club that is an expert on a facet of Amateur Radio? Here, members of the Gwinnet Amateur Radio Society exhibit their collection of keys. [Courtesy GWARS] |
Who says you have to have all of your meetings in a meeting room or restaurant? Members of the Naval Postgraduate School Amateur Radio Club in Monterey, California, meet at the Pt Sur lighthouse (also in Monterey) for fun, fellowship, and even a little bit of operating. [Courtesy NPSARC] |
In recent weeks, I've had a number of conversations with radio club presidents and leaders concerning dwindling member participation. Nearly everyone reports that meeting attendance and participation is down. And it's becoming more difficult to recruit volunteers to assist with Field Day and other activities. One well-known club in my section recently failed to rally sufficient interest to field a candidate for President for their annual election!
So, what's a club leader to do? Shrug your shoulders and admit defeat? Try to shame the membership out of its complacency? Some club leaders respond by taking on more and more of the chores and responsibilities. But this can lead to burn-out -- or worse -- feelings of bitterness and animosity.
What can you do to keep your radio club healthy? Here are some tips that will rekindle interest and inspire the troops. First, though, a few disclaimers: It's not an all-inclusive list, and it's in no particular order. Not all of these suggestions may be applicable to your particular organization. Finally, your mileage may vary. But hey, what have you got to lose?
Change Your Routine
You've always had your meetings on the second Thursday of each month. The meeting consists of a business portion for the first half, followed by a guest speaker or show-and-tell -- that is, when you have someone. Why not schedule your business meeting every other month, followed by a special presentation the following month? Or, have a special meeting for the presentation? Make it a top priority to book a really interesting guest speaker for that special meeting.
Don't limit the topic to ham radio. There are lots of fascinating subjects that your members might want to hear about. Plan an annual meeting where you feature an extraordinary speaker or presentation. Invite a Nobel Laureate or an astronaut or a famous DXer or a politician. Use your imagination!
Might it be an opportune time to reconsider your present meeting location? There might be a more comfortable, convenient location at your public library, town meeting hall, police station or a church. Consider entering into a reciprocal agreement with a nearby club to hold occasional joint meetings. A change of venue might be just the thing. Break out of the ordinary! If you're not sure what might work best, don't be afraid to poll the membership.
Take a Field Trip
Field trips aren't just for kids in grade school any more. Has your club ever organized a field trip to ARRL Headquarters? It's an easy day trip from this part of the country. The gang in Newington goes out of their way to welcome clubs with guided tours of the facility and W1AW. Or how about visiting your local town's police or fire dispatch facility? Arrange to tour a nearby radio or television station. There are many, many possibilities.
Show That You Care
What happens when that newcomer (or long-lost member) walks through the door of your meeting? Is he or she greeted personally? Do they feel like a welcomed participant? Or are they eyed with suspicion, maybe even given the cold shoulder? Do you warmly applaud the visitor who has just moved into town from Des Moines or the new Tech who has just passed her exam? Do you ask at your meetings who is newly licensed or has upgraded?
Get to Know Each Other
Do hand out sticky tags that say, "Hello, my name is..." to everyone who walks through the door. Don't assume that everyone knows everybody else. Have meeting attendees list their favorite hobby or interest other than ham radio. They can be read off when you have your round of introductions. You do have introductions, don't you? Sure, you've known ole Joe for 20 years, but did you also know he was into model trains? Or that Susan competes in national BBQ competitions?
Have a Little Fun along the Way
Make color-coded dots or shapes to stick on meeting attendees' name tags denoting their different interests in ham radio: DXing, rag chewing, volunteer exams, Morse code, county hunting, 6 meter AM, contesting, QRP and so forth. Who will end up with the most colorful badge? The possibilities are endless. Or how about a radio trivia contest where you award the winner with a small prize? Who said radio club meetings can't be fun? One club even sponsors a group ticket purchase for its members to semi-professional sports events. Fun doesn't have to be limited to ham radio!
Get Some New Blood into Your Club
Has your club conducted a License-in-a-Weekend session? Here's a news flash, folks: The traditional course that runs every Tuesday night for six weeks from 7:30 to 9:00 PM no longer works. People have busy lives; they're very unlikely to complete a long, prolonged course. Instead, try to focus on a concentrated, all-day Saturday session from 9:00 to 5:00, followed by a Sunday morning review, culminating in a VE session in the afternoon. Clubs that follow this format have reported spectacular results!
All the News that's Fit to Print
How's your club's newsletter doing these days? How's the Web site look? Editing a newsletter or maintaining a Web site is a lot of hard work. And sometimes it's a thankless job. That's why it's so very important as a club leader to recognize and reward the Editor or Webmaster for their efforts. Content can make or break a Web site. Has that Web home page contained the same story or photo for the past six months? That's a bad sign! Try and find out if the person or persons responsible still want to hold the job. And if they do, perhaps you can scare up an assistant Webmaster. Be sure to remind club members to contribute material for the newsletter or Web site on a regular basis. Pictures really go a long way in contributing to the content. Don't forget to publish an occasional "spotlight" article highlighting a member-at-random, describing his or her entry into ham radio, accomplishments, interests and such.
Calling All Hams
When was the last time you solicited for new members by conducting a mass mailing of all hams in your local Zip code? It's easy to do. Web sites like www.qrz.com can be used to obtain the data. Be sure you have a well-written, convincing letter that talks about all the great things your radio club is involved in. Don't forget a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you're including a membership application form.
Spread the Word
Does your club have a Public Information Officer (PIO) or PR chairperson? Why not? Make sure your meetings and your VE sessions are listed in the community newspaper or mentioned on the local radio station. Media outlets are desperate for stories that highlight its local citizens and the public services they perform. Do you have a member who recently helped out with communications during a public service event or a SKYWARN session? How about that town fair or walk-a-thon? Consider establishing a Member of the Year award, and promoting the winner to the media. The more your club is featured in the media, the better the chances that non-hams will learn about your local radio club -- and about ham radio.
Think Globally, Act Locally
Are your club members informed about what's happening on the national scene? Do you make it a point of reading the ARRL Letter and other bulletins during your local net or meeting? Make sure that everyone is aware of that latest FCC rule making or BPL threat. Better yet, consider organizing a letter-writing session to show members how they can voice their opinions their elected representatives. Empower your members so that they feel ownership and responsibility for what happens to the Amateur Radio service--and to their local radio club.
Phil Temples, K9HI, has been licensed since 1970. He served as state training officer for Indiana MARS, and Emergency Coordinator for Monroe County, Indiana. While attending Purdue University, he was active with W9YB, the Purdue ARC. He later moved to the Boston area where he is a member of the Boston ARC(where he served as President) and the Crocker Public Service Group. He is a Life Member of the ARRL and QCWA. Phil has served as Section Manager for the Eastern Massachusetts Section and is currently their Affiliated Club Coordinator. He is also Assistant Director of the New England Division. Phil lives in Watertown, Massachusetts with his wife Barb, K9ERA, where he is a computer systems administrator for Boston College.
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