Aside from encouraging me to study for my Technician exam (and the other two exams…now that I look back on it) my parents really didn’t have to work very hard to convince me to become involved with amateur radio. In fact, it was the other way around. After going to a Skywarn meeting and asking for the “ham sign-in” and the “non-ham sign-in” sheets, my father decided it was probably time to get his license. (He now has his General class and is studying for his Extra with my younger sister.)
My father isn’t the only member of my family I talked into getting an amateur radio license, though. Both of my younger sisters have taken interest in the hobby, although convincing them that getting their licenses would be worth it was significantly more challenging than it was for my father. Both of them getting their licenses at nine years old posed some unique situations (anybody know how to teach Ohm’s Law to someone who hasn’t taken an algebra course yet?). But after having had the experiences of getting my two younger sisters involved and getting licenses (as well as a few other kids from my school’s amateur radio club), getting young people into amateur radio is almost second nature to me now.
While the selling points and approaches that ultimately spark interest in a young person will be different for each individual, there are a few constants that I’ve noticed in the process:
Encourage but don’t force them. No young person wants to be told that they have to do something—truthfully, that is the fastest way to dissuade them from picking up the hobby. Instead of lecturing them or trying to force them to become involved, help them find what interests them in amateur radio. From CW to digital modes, SSB rag-chewing to antenna building, the hobby really has something for everyone. As soon as kids find what motivates them to be involved in the hobby, they’ll start studying for the exam.
Utilize as many hands-on demos and activities as possible! The opportunities in amateur radio are endless. It could be something as simple as putting together a basic parallel or series circuit that merely lights up an LED, or something more complex (building and designing an antenna perhaps), depending on the skill level of the young person and their time commitment.
These demos and activities don’t have to be centered around building things either. Fox hunts are always a hit with the kids in my school club, particularly the younger members. It’s always entertaining when the adults try to explain to the kids that the transmitter they’re looking for looks like a film canister, then realize that none of the 9- to 18-year-old club members even know what a film canister looks like.
Making a few CW contacts and explaining/translating what information is being exchanged is also a fun way to demonstrate what you can do with amateur radio, particularly because Morse code has a sort of “secret language” appeal to it for young people who find the thought of learning a language that their parents don’t know fascinating.
If the young person or group is a bit mic shy, digital modes are always a great option. They showcase some of the more technology-heavy aspects of the hobby; young people find the dichotomy of the hobby being “wireless” but also digitally intertwined fascinating.
Contests are another good option for getting young people interested due to their fast-paced nature and the camaraderie that accompanies a multi-operator effort.
All of these things considered, remember that you are simply a resource for the kids, and one of many at that.
Finally, showing kids that there are other young people in amateur radio is by far the most effective way to get them interested. There are numerous avenues in which to do this. Two excellent ones are the Young Amateur Communications Ham Team (YACHT) and their nets, and groups like Youngsters On The Air (YOTA). For example, YOTA sets up booths at many of the larger Hamfests in the U.S., serving as a meeting place for young people and providing an opportunity to find a group of encouraging young hams.
Getting young people interested in amateur radio is far from easy, especially in today’s world where youth have infinite resources at their fingertips. By acting as a resource and simply showing kids what they could do with amateur radio, you can make it more relevant and be able to develop a more successful approach to getting young people interested and involved in this amazing hobby.
