w3sy
06-20-2007, 02:45 PM
What can we as hams... whoops... HAMs do to recruit more CB'ers into the Amateur Fraternity? The ARRL has made it clear -- sales of "HAM" gear is down, resulting in less advertising $$$ in QST ragazine. Ipso fatso, we need more "HAM" operators. But where do we FIND more buyers of "HAM" gear?
Time once again to turn to that great pre-"HAM" training ground, CB. Yes, CB has been the "Farm Team" for amateur radio for decades. But we're just not drawing them in as we used to. Since the 90's, when the entry point into hamming became the NCT ticket, the flow of CB'ers to the hamming ranks has slowed to a trickle. Why? Could be because the 2 meter FM repeater system is not nearly as exciting as shooting skip between 27 and 28.100 MHz! In fact, the 2 meter FM repeater system has been ranked just below watching paint dry and watching wood warp in terms of thrills-per-hour.
Time to change all that. How can we make "the cotton pickin' HAM channel" more attractive to CB'ers? Here are my suggestions. Are you bright enough to come up with any of your own? Surprise me. (Not with your suggestions -- With proof that you are the least bit bright.)
1) Do away with the cotton pickin' beep dee beep code test. (Editor's note. We already did that!)
2) Allow swearing. S word, F word, MF words... all encouraged!
3) ARRL sanctioned get togethers where operators can duke it out in person people who have p1ssed them off.
4) Change written exam to TWO questions: "What's your name? What's your address?"
5) Do away with those nerdy "call signs." Issue handles, and register them with regional "Channel Masters."
6) Four words: No effin' power limits!
7) Equal coverage in the QST Ad Mag between 2 meter CB and 11 meter CB.
8) Leeners, leenyers, leenyers.....
How say YE??
Over.......??
Time once again to turn to that great pre-"HAM" training ground, CB. Yes, CB has been the "Farm Team" for amateur radio for decades. But we're just not drawing them in as we used to. Since the 90's, when the entry point into hamming became the NCT ticket, the flow of CB'ers to the hamming ranks has slowed to a trickle. Why? Could be because the 2 meter FM repeater system is not nearly as exciting as shooting skip between 27 and 28.100 MHz! In fact, the 2 meter FM repeater system has been ranked just below watching paint dry and watching wood warp in terms of thrills-per-hour.
Time to change all that. How can we make "the cotton pickin' HAM channel" more attractive to CB'ers? Here are my suggestions. Are you bright enough to come up with any of your own? Surprise me. (Not with your suggestions -- With proof that you are the least bit bright.)
1) Do away with the cotton pickin' beep dee beep code test. (Editor's note. We already did that!)
2) Allow swearing. S word, F word, MF words... all encouraged!
3) ARRL sanctioned get togethers where operators can duke it out in person people who have p1ssed them off.
4) Change written exam to TWO questions: "What's your name? What's your address?"
5) Do away with those nerdy "call signs." Issue handles, and register them with regional "Channel Masters."
6) Four words: No effin' power limits!
7) Equal coverage in the QST Ad Mag between 2 meter CB and 11 meter CB.
8) Leeners, leenyers, leenyers.....
How say YE??
Over.......??