In response to a The Future of Amateur Radio is with our youth . . . not! by Joe Cupano, NE2Z (because his wordpress doesn’t allow comments, unless you’re logged in as admin to his site, lol.
To that headline, I say, the Future of Amateur Radio IS with our youth!
But youth is relative. Sure, there is a definition of youth, but I argue that youth in ham radio must take it’s aged demographic into consideration. The average ham (according to ARRL/NCJ and OFCOM data) is…old. The UK its over 71, the ARRL/NCJ is 70. So what is youth relative to 70 years old? What would at 70 year old tell you?
They would say to almost everyone younger than then, even a 50 year old, that they’re still young!
But that begs the question: what is old? Unfortunately, “old” has a very negative connotation (cranky, curmudgeonly, stinky, mean, burdensome, stubborn, and tech illiterate) while the positives (wise, elder, experienced, aged (like a fine wine or whisky), and virtuous) are often ignored.
Simply put, old is not young. And based on our relativity to ham radio, and removing as much connotation and subjectivity as possible, old is aged beyond that of the average ham radio licensee, which is about 70.
Lets actually read the post and not jump to conclusions about the title (can’t begin to tell you how much that happens on my blog. If you’re a reader of n0ssc.com I probably don’t have to remind you that Millennials Are Killing Ham Radio, but maybe I should have put a “…NOT” in that headline🙃).
Joe asks,
How many times have you seen the messaging in Amateur Radio that it’s future is with the youth and how the Amateur Radio community should engage them in teaching or demonstrating technology to them?
It’s bullshit!
It’s bullshit because he believes there is a double standard (I guess) where youth are failing to show hams how to use modern technology like cellphones, social media, maker tech, and videoconferencing, and that youth have surpassed the ham radio community in technology engagement.
I’ve mulled that one over.
It must be a symptom of his tunnel vision, or something, but I fail to see both the double standard, and the fact that young people aren’t teaching old people (and in Joe’s case, specifically hams) how to use tech. This, I think, is bullshit, because old folks are using tech, and using it well enough to present themselves on Zoom meetings, create and comment on Facebook posts, make YouTube videos of their ham radio fun (some pretty great!) and even make 3D printed thingies – THANKS ENTIRELY to…
Gotcha! You thought I was gonna say youth there, didn’t you?
First of all, the fact that old people still, in fact, have a brain and can still learn, often by themselves, nullifies Joe’s premise, but secondly, people who have either helped them learn (I currently don’t know a young ham who isn’t tech support for their grandma), or have made tech generally as accessible as possible for people of all ages and levels of technology literacy in the first place. And some of those helpful people happen to be young. Some are old, too. But what’s your point, Joe?
Joe mentions the overlooked “middle child” of generations – Millennials and GenXers (did I tell you Millennials Are Killing Ham Radio?) but I feel he left his point hanging there, but contextually, I assume he believes the reins of ham radio is in their hands but doesn’t consider those people “young.” I believe this to be true, but it’s just as important to bring ham radio into the minds and hands of GenX and Millennials as it is for GenZ, and those after that when they come of age, for the same reason why it’s of paramount importance (not to mention highly desirable) to have diversity in any community of peoples.
But maybe, ham radio has always been an old person’s hobby, and that’s just the way it is. Hiram Percy Maxim apparently stated that the age of hams was a problem…in 1900s (citation needed…someone told this to me at W4DXCC and I’ve not found a source, but I believe it!)
Even if that’s the case, imagine my disappointment when the old guard dies away without doing anything to bring new blood into ham radio, resulting in international amateur radio spectrum reallocation, resulting in no ham radio for me when I get to be old. That would suck, and that’s why I am the IARU R2 Liasion for Youth and a co-founder of Youth on the Air, and a die-hard evangelist for this hobby. I don’t have the time in my 20s and 30s to operate every day, go on mega DXpeditions, contest for 48 hours straight for 12 weekends out of the year and more, and win WRTC, because I’m working over full time while still having a life with my wife, dog and two cats, friends, and family, with the world to still see. I want ham radio to still exist when I retire, dammit!
(and also to give back to the community by making ham radio a valuable STEM sandbox for young people, as it did for me!)
So I will blog during my lunch hours, I’ll travel to a hamfest to give a talk a few times a year, and I’ll join a club’s zoom to help promote youth in ham radio. What are you doing to keep ham radio existing in perpetuity?
If anything, just get on the air!
Love it Sterling! This is exactly the discussion that needs to be had. Apologies for not having the comments on for you to respond to the post directly. (They are on now and encourage you include a link to your post here.)
Thanks!
Sterling…. excellent post that brought more perspective to NE2Z’s fire starter.
As a xennial (40) and ham for 23 of those years myself, with what time I have, choosing who, what and where I help is something I have to weigh carefully at times when it comes to the future of the hobby.
May we all age gracefully and keep inspiring more electrons into the ether via those younger than us.
Your choice of words “suck”, and “bullshit” are not words people of my age (70’s) wish to
read about!
I’m quoting the author, which is important to the narrative. I love the word suck, and using profanity in general, because it portrays emotion effectively and efficiently. I keenly understand the benefits, and I understand the consequences, and if you’re offended you don’t have to read.
Also, I don’t necessarily agree that all people of your age wish to avoid spicy language. George Carlin as one example, but i’ve had many a conversation with my elder elmers where a warranted F-bomb or two was dropped. It’s even a part of the lexicon with my conversations with CEOs and division directors of the ARRL, the presidents and leaders of the IARUs, and young people of all ages (much to the chagrin of their parents, I’m sure).
Robert, your right! I probably should have used the word “horseshit.” (Sorry friend I could not resist.)
On a serious note, I thank Sterling again for taking the time to read and respond thoughtfully to ensure we all do are active in making Amateur Radio the best it can be!.
As a female millennial (who got my general license last week) I just realized I should look for female ham clubs or just young clubs. This site popped up in my search.
I keep hearing the first step after getting the license is join a club and the clubs near me seem very…mature. I am super uncomfortable with being the only female amongst a bunch of older men. It’s not anything about them, the ones Ive met are very nice and respectful, it’s a me-thing.
So I’d love to find a club that has youngish hams or just an all female one.
I’m still researching what I can but I thought maybe someone could point me in the right direction. Thank you!