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IN THIS EDITION:
We Do That
What is it about Amateur Radio that arouses the interest of people? If you asked fifty hams, you would probably get fifty different answers. But if you ask it of NON-hams, the responses usually fall into one of three categories:
1 The fun, friendship and hobby side
2 The emergency service side
3 The technology and creative side
There’s something about hams that makes them want to open the plastic box and see what’s inside every gizmo they encounter. What makes it work? How can we make it better, or even use it in a whole new way. It is this inquisitive and creative streak that is the third component in the trilogy of the ARRL Public Relations campaigns. First came “Hello.” Then in 2007 came EmComm. For 2008 comes “We Do That-Radio!”
Unwrapped at the Dayton Hamvention®, the new coordinated PR effort shows the world the technological activities and creative imaginations which Amateur Radio’s people love. Once again, this is a campaign with several interlocking parts including Public Service Announcements, brochures, special Web site, stickers, Talk on a Disk, and more. It shows, “It’s not your grandfather’s ham radio anymore!”
One of the nice parts about this campaign is that the materials can be expanded as the year unfolds to include new and developing topic areas.
The brand new Technology campaign brochures are now available on the web at www.arrl.org/brochures
You can see it at http://www.arrl.org/pio/wedothatbrochure.pdf as a web optimized version.
Because of the expected Field Day demands, if you want them for FD, I encourage you to order yours soon. The accompanying “Talk on a Disk” for use if you are making formal presentations speaking to groups and clubs is also available. Email me at APitts@arrl.org if you need one.
Field Day
PIO’s
Gain FAME
Score 500 points
Impress your Friends and Relatives
Win a FREE trip to...
…well, maybe not a free trip, but you sure can get three out of the four.
We may still be in the depths of winter, but Field Day planning has begun in many clubs and groups. The plans you make now will bring big changes later.
How would you like to be a hero and bring in 500 FD points for your group before you ever touch a radio?
As you plan Field Day:
| Instead of heading to a mountain top, how about a WalMart lot? Being in a conspicuous public place is good for: |
100 Points |
| Instead of just telling your fellow hams and club members, how about telling the newspapers and local radio and TV? Press release samples are available at http://www.arrl.org/pio Having a media release or link is good for: |
100 Points |
| Instead of manning the radios, how about manning a public information table with brochures, signs and a smile? Having a public information table/center is good for: |
100 Points |
| Instead of glad-handing the mike, how about shaking hands with your areas elected officials and politicians? A sample invitation is in your Field Day packet Having invited, elected local officials come makes: |
100 Points |
| Instead of talking TO a served agency, how about inviting one of their leaders come down and visit you, perhaps even getting to talk on your radio? Having an official served agency representative show up is: |
100 Points |
Total = |
500 points!!! |
By Jim Mulvey, KS1A, EMA Public Information Officer
When last year’s local club’s Field Day publicity didn’t make it into the newspaper, the Publicity Chairman couldn’t understand why! After all, he wrote a news release and mailed it with plenty of time to spare. Still, it was passed by. Why? Because there are very specific steps you must follow to ensure that:
1.The right person actually reads your release. (Most are thrown out after a quick look.)
2. They print it.
Step 1. Know what you’re up against.
First, the old days of the Spartan “just the facts” news release are over. At one time, all you needed to do was a straightforward “who, what, where, when and why” in the first paragraph with no editorializing. It’s still being taught that way in journalism school, but it’s not the way it’s done in the real world!
Step 2. Understand that the biggest problem is having your release tossed in the trash.
At every media outlet (newspapers, television, and radio stations) there is one person who opens the news release mail. They can get a ton of releases every week; they are gathered up and opened by hand one by one, and unfortunately, they are almost all fluff from companies announcing the upgrade of a new improved food container, (yawn). The person must make a quick decision as to the importance of each one. He only reads the first paragraph, and he’s usually standing over a wastebasket. Get the picture?
You must make sure the release is of interest to the readers. If you’re town paper is the Billerica News, then make sure that “Billerica Radio Amateurs” are mentioned prominently! You must catch the person’s attention with the first couple of lines in your release or out it goes! Worse, the person who opens the release may make a decision based upon what your envelope looks like. If it’s very amateurish-looking, you may not even get a serious first glance. When writing the release, walk the fine line between making it exciting and keeping it factual. See the example provided.
Step 3. Delivering your release to its target.
We’ve included a sample news release for you to “customize” for local consumption. A good way to get it thrown away is to just drop it in an envelope and mail to your media outlet. That’s not enough! Call the station or newspaper and ask for the city editor or assignment editor (for radio and TV). Get a name. Then, ask for the fax number.
Fax it to them! The fax is the fastest way to cut through the protective layers a company uses against their telephone and mail. A fax will get right through. Send your release a week in advance.
BINGO! The right person now has your release. It’s separated from the usual pack; now you have a very good chance of getting the publicity you want and need. Re-send everything the day before the event.
Step 4. The Closer.
Include a contact telephone number. We’ve actually had newspapers call us back and ask to do a full story on the club! Getting publicity is more of an art than a science. It’s important to remember that just writing and sending it isn’t enough. Follow the steps, sound friendly but confident, don’t try to come off as if you’re promoting something as important as a medical breakthrough. Be sure to mention that the site looks great for cameras and photographers. Follow through and you just may score with every release you send.
PUBLICITY TIP SHEET
-Ideas to help you promote Amateur Radio Week and Field Day-
1. Retype the enclosed news releases onto your club letterhead. Be sure to fill in your club's name and contact in the appropriate blanks. Feel free to lift any text from this release and add it to one you've already created.
2. Mail or fax the news releases to the city editor of your local paper, radio and television stations. You may wish to follow up with a telephone call within a few days to see that it was received and offer any additional information. When making follow-up calls, first ask the reporter if he or she is on deadline and if there would be a better time to call back.
3. Promote Field Day as a serious training exercise that prepares local Amateur Radio operators in the event of local or statewide emergencies. This is also a good time to promote the purpose of the Simulated Emergency Test in October.
4. Avoid Amateur Radio jargon in any press materials and in conversations or interviews with media representatives.
5. Designate someone who will be able to greet media, talk about Amateur Radio and explain what is happening at your Field Day event. Be sure the person you pick is your most articulate spokesperson.
6. Take a lot of good action photos of your Field Day event. If you are interested in submitting your pictures for possible use in QST or elsewhere, be sure to use a good camera and use high-quality development with a glossy finish or high resolution .jpg electronic pictures.
7. Give the enclosed backgrounders to reporters looking for more information or use them to help you write up your own publicity materials.
8. Approach your local cable TV and radio stations with the ARRL public service announcements. If they're aired, you'll get good exposure for Amateur Radio, Field Day and other club activities. The audio public service announcement can be downloaded right off the web at www.arrl.org/pio .
9. Post colorful, easy-to-read fliers in prominent places: libraries, supermarkets, schools, etc.
10. Invite your mayor or other local official to your Field Day site. Have him or her make a few contacts!
11. Write a letter to the editor of your local paper and invite readers to visit your Field Day site and learn more about Amateur Radio.
12. Volunteer to speak about Amateur Radio at a local Rotary, or other club meeting. Information and tips on how to give such a talk is available on the web and on the "Swiss Army Knife 05" for PIO's.
13. Check with your local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Participating in your Field Day event may help them earn a merit badge.
14. If your club has a Web page, make sure you pass the URL on to the media you are working with. Publishing local contacts for possible new hams is important for following up!
NEWS RELEASE
Your Name
And contact info
Goes here
Ham Radio Operators show off for __(city)__ residents
Public Demo of Emergency Communications June 28-29
Your City, ST Date – Thousands of Ham Radio operators will be showing off their emergency capabilities this weekend. Over the past year, the news has been full of reports of ham radio operators providing critical communications in emergencies including the California wildfires, Oregon and Michigan storms, tornadoes and other events world-wide. During Hurricane Katrina, Amateur Radio – often called “Ham radio” - was often the ONLY way people could communicate, and hundreds of volunteer “hams” traveled south to save lives and property. When trouble is brewing, ham radio people are often the first to provide critical information and communications. On the weekend of June 28-29, the public will have a chance to meet and talk with these ham radio operators and see for themselves what the Amateur Radio Service is about. Showing the newest digital and satellite capabilities, voice communications and even historical Morse code, hams from across the USA will be holding public demonstrations of emergency communications abilities.
This annual event, called "Field Day" is the climax of the week long "Amateur Radio Week" sponsored by the ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio. Using only emergency power supplies, ham operators will construct emergency stations in parks, shopping malls, schools and back yards around the country. Their slogan, "Ham radio works when other systems don't! " is more than just words to the hams as they prove they can send messages in many forms without the use of phone systems, internet or any other infrastructure that can be compromised in a crisis. More than 34,000 amateur radio operators across the country participated in last year's event.
"We hope that people will come and see for themselves, this is not your grandfather's radio anymore," said Allen Pitts of the ARRL. "The communications networks that ham radio people can quickly create have saved many lives in the past months when other systems failed or were overloaded.”
In the _____locality_______ area, the _____group name_____ will be demonstrating Amateur Radio at _______location______ on ____date___. They invite the public to come and see ham radio’s new capabilities and learn how to get their own FCC radio license before the next disaster strikes.
There are 650,000 Amateur Radio licensees in the US, and more than 2.5 million around the world. Through the ARRL’s ARES program, ham volunteers provide emergency communications for thousands of state and local emergency response agencies, all for free.
To learn more about Amateur Radio, go to www.emergency-radio.org. The public is most cordially invited to come, meet and talk with the hams. See what modern Amateur Radio can do. They can even help you get on the air!
George Bowen, W2XBS, and the gang at This Week in Amateur Radio have created 3 audio PSA spots for broadcast radio and also repeater use promoting Field Day activities and are making them available for everyone to download, modify if needed and use.
All three spots play in Quicktime and/or Windows Media.
They are posted for you at www.twiar.org
Please let them know if you use them, and how it works out.
(and also tell them Thank You!)
Media Preparation and Follow-up
Steps to take the day of, and after,
your Field Day event
The Day of the Event:
1. Make one more call to the media if time allows.
2. Be sure all elements are in place.
3. Be sure each person knows his or her role.
4. Greet media representative(s). Get their business card.
5. Have printed fact sheets or backgrounders ready.
6. Don't interrupt or interject during media interaction unless absolutely necessary.
7. Be sure media representative has accurate spellings of names, titles and call signs.
After the Event:
1. Thank media representative(s) if appropriate.
2. Be sure to get ample copies of coverage.
3. Share coverage with participants, club members and the ARRL.
4. Look for "secondary exposure" opportunities.
7. Continue ongoing press relations.
______________________
The following is a rough draft of language for a proclamation. Modify it to fit your local city or regional leadership.
______________________
Whereas, Amateur Radio operators are celebrating a century of the miracle of the human voice broadcast over the airwaves with their “Hello” campaign; and
Whereas, Amateur Radio has continued to provide a bridge between peoples, societies and countries by creating friendships and the sharing of ideas; and
Whereas, Amateur Radio Operators have also provided countless hours of community services throughout these decades; and
Whereas, these Amateur Radio’s services are provided wholly uncompensated; and
Whereas, the State also recognizes the services Amateur Radio’s people also provide to our many Emergency Response organizations, including _______add local and gov’t served agencies___________; and
Whereas, these same individuals have further demonstrated their value in public assistance by providing free radio communications for local parades, bike-a-thons, walk-a-thins, fairs and other charitable public events; and
Whereas, the ___state/city_____ of _________ recognizes and appreciates the diligence of these “hams” who also serve as weather spotters in the Skywarn program of the US Government Weather Bureau; and
Whereas, Amateur Radio once again proved its undisputed relevance in the modern world in 2005 by providing emergency communications when other systems failed in the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the USA and in the Tsunami catastrophe overseas; and
Whereas, the ARRL is the leading organization for Amateur Radio in the USA; and
Whereas, the ARRL Amateur Radio Field Day exercise will take place on June 24-25, 2006 and is a 24 hour emergency encampment exercise and demonstration of the Radio Amateurs’ skills and readiness to provide self-supporting communications even in fields without further infrastructure; now
Therefore, I ____name_____, _______title_______ of the ____place_______, do hereby officially recognize and designate June 23-29, 2008 as
Amateur Radio Week
In the ____place______
Signed
_____________________________
Title________________________
Seal…..
___________________________
Have a great Field Day.
On May 27th we received this report about when all else failed in China and the role of hams there. I have edited the report to keep it brief, but you can use it as an example.
Situation report #3 on China earthquake
As the disaster recovery efforts continue following China’s most powerful
earthquake, the Information Office of the State Council reported (on 26 May)
that the death toll had reached 65,080.
Government officials and news media have recognized that when communications
failed after the Sichuan earthquake on 12 May, it was amateur radio operators
who stepped in to provide vital links.
In the past two weeks there has been more than five million people made homeless.
The most in-demand materials and supplies for the disaster area are tents
and medicines. Disease prevention is also at a very critical stage.
China Central Television (CCTV) reported on 26 May, “When all other communication
means failed, amateur radio operators came out! An amateur radio emergency
communication network was setup and one of the commanders, Liu hu called
for amateur radio operators on air to provide services for disaster relief.
“Thankfully one main repeater survived during the earthquake, this repeater
provided 100km coverage to Mianyang. Amateur radio operators from Chengdu,
Shenzhen, He'nan went to the centre of the disaster area, set up repeaters
in Beichuan county, and provided various valuable first hand information
from the centre.”
The IARU radio society, CRSA said it hoped to report later more detailed
information on the role of amateur radio emergency communications in the
big earthquake.
In the meantime it advises that the main organizer of local amateur radio
traffic, Luo Minglin BY8AA continuously coordinated VHF/UHF communications
for a 100 km radius from Chengdu, the capital of southwest China's province
of Sichuan.
More repeaters were set up in both Beichuan and Mianyang, among the worst
hit areas outside the epicenter, to form an effective amateur radio communication
network.
Zhang Zhen BG8DOU reports that right after the earthquake, two ham radio
operators drove to the centre of the earthquake area and had a repeater set
up by the morning of 13 May. This repeater enabled the transmission of rescue instructions, status reports and was a main communication channel for public use.
Among the traffic the repeater carried were communications for the Mayor
of Mianzhu City, who gave orders to those on the front line rescue and recovery
activity.
The CRSA appreciates the support given by the amateur radio community in
helping to keep clear the emergency communication frequencies of 7050kHz,
7060kHz and 14270kHz during the critical period after the earthquake.
The CRSA said, “Thanks for the cooperation and efforts made by all amateur
radio societies.” Those frequencies are no longer needed for emergency communications, but should a severe aftershock occur, there will be a call by the CRSA for them to be kept clear again.
The radio society also acknowledged having received inquiries and the “warm
concerns” of amateur radio societies worldwide.
(Fan Bin BA1RB on behalf of CRSA, via IARU R3 Disaster Communications Committee
Chairman Jim Linton VK3PC)
June
14 ARRL June VHF QSO Party
21 Kid’s Day
21 Amateur Radio Week Begins
28 ARRL Field Day
July
August
September
1 National Preparedness Month Begins
20 Amateur Radio Public Awareness Day
October
4 ARRL Simulated Emergency Test begins
18 Scouts Jamboree On the Air begins
20 School Club Roundup begins
Author’s Guide Online
The ARRL Author's Guide by Steve Ford, WB8IMY, QST Editor/ARRL Publications Manager, is the place to look at what is needed and wanted for writing articles in QST and other ARRL publications. There are many good stories out there, but it often takes local people to write them. Also, keep in mind the question, “Is this of interest to people in other parts of the country, or just here?” If the answer to that is “yes,” then check out the guide at http://www.arrl.org/qst/aguide/
Common Mistakes
We all make mistakes at times, but as we prepare for Field Day I am noting some common ones becoming even more common. Here are four of the worst:
1. A press release that rambles: Be sure there is a header, date and the main point is right there in the first sentence. One page is best, but never more than two.
2. Assumptions: Recently I received a message from the reflector regarding a major award given to a ham by their county. The message was very interesting, but failed to indicate where (or even in what state) the county was located.
3. Contact Information: The name and good contact information for the person issuing the release needs to be right at the top and easy to see.
4. Document files with embedded pictures: I am seeing more and more Word.doc files of releases arrive with pictures embedded into the .doc file. Nice, but there’s no way we can use the pictures in that format and it just jams up the email IN-box.
5. OK, I said four above, but this one annoys me even though I too am often guilty of it…
RUN A SPELLCHECK before sending it out! It is amazing how many typos yu kin fnd.
Bill Morine, N2COP, chairs the ARRL PR Committee and has been following the coming TV digital conversion plans. He writes:
The upcoming cutover of broadcast television from analog to digital provides a great opportunity to promote amateur radio. In the months ahead, there will be increasing dialogue on how the public can access broadcast TV after a widespread disaster. Millions of low-cost, battery operated analog TV sets were sold over the past 15 years, and many Americans began to watch TV after an event forced power outages in their areas. After February 17, 2009, these cheap, portable analog sets will no longer receive broadcast television signals. While the digital TV cutover doesn’t impact amateur radio directly, the public may turn to the ham radio community as electronic communications experts for guidance and answers. Here’s how PIOs can help.
Offer to be a resource for information on emergency communications (EmComm). You can’t endorse specific products, but you can guide the public through this landmine of change. Here are some basics to promote:
There will be many opportunities in the months ahead to tell people about the advantages of amateur radio. Use the digital TV cutover as your chance to tell others about ham radio.
The Last Word
Plain talk. Let’s take a look at some things honestly. If you look about you can find many people whose very ham identity is defined in trying to trash the ARRL. But where are they when action is needed?
Name the one organization went to bat for American ham radio in the BPL interference problems and court fight? -ARRL.
When the Department of Defense wanted 440 clear for Pave Paws radar systems, who worked with them and the repeater owners to keep as many ham repeaters on the air as possible? - ARRL
What group has spent thousands to come out with, not one but now three, major PR campaigns promoting ALL of Amateur Radio and made the materials freely available or only at the expense of the postage costs? - ARRL
What organization is spending time and money to develop a computer based QSL system for hams worldwide? – ARRL
What organization developed the most respected and objective Amateur Radio testing lab in the world so you have open access to the hard facts, not just claims of performance? –ARRL
What organization has provided the time and funds to get Amateur Radio into so many schools and curriculum, even bringing teachers in to train them? – ARRL
Name the organization providing materials, aid and support to volunteers across the country dealing with antenna restriction issues. – ARRL
What group gathers, edits and publishes the most authoritative research books about radio; so much so that it is recognized as the best by ALL radio engineers and not just hams? – ARRL
Every ham likes to boast about the role Amateur Radio played in Katrina. But what organization had the largest role in that ham response, provided volunteers and emergency communication supplies and made sure the media knew what the hams were doing? - ARRL
OK… yes, there are some folks who would use the excuse of arguing over some obscure point about a couple hertz bandwidth or a contest rule here or there as an excuse not to really do anything. But for those who really want to do some good with Amateur Radio…. even if there are flaws at times (as in any human association), what is the organization I am proud to be a part of and has done more good for the Amateur Radio Service than any other in history? - ARRL
-w1agp said that.