Here’s my riffs and rabbit hole research over the month on the sound byte going around about the average ham being aged 75.
It’s an arresting data point, but what do we really know when we know that? Are we asking the right questions to get to our shared goal?
Let’s look first at the six generations alive today:
- “The Silent Generation”, born 1925-1945 and in 2023 ages 98-78;
- “Boomers”, born 1946-1964 and in 2023 ages 77-59;
- “Gen X”, born 1965-1980 and in 2023 ages 58-43;
- “Millennials / Gen Y”, born 1981-1996 and in 2023 ages 42-27;
- “Gen Z” – digital natives, born 1997-2012 and in 2023 ages 26-11;
- “Alphas” – all born in the 21st c to (mostly) Millennial parents and will be the largest generation in human history, born 2013-c.2025. Tech-savvy, diverse, screen-age natives.
So, for context, this means a 75-year old ham is an older “Baby Boomer”.
The math means there is a gap of three generations, or over 50 years (a half-century) between our average 75-year old ham and a High School student, aged 14-18.
The good news is that if a general goal is to bring young people into the hobby, then the audience is vast. …Although we might want to clarify: younger than who?
The request could be said to cover all generations.
Notably including:
- families of digital-native Alphas & Gen Zs, and their tech-savvy Millennial parents;
- the 30% of American households now headed by solo adults, aged 20s to 90s;
- hobbyist social identity groupings untethered to age
As a call to action, “young people” feels incredibly imprecise. What is the problem we are trying to solve? Who is the “we”? Should each generation be tasked with mentoring the next one?
Interestingly, I think I heard that the average age of a newly licensed ham was now 50!?
If true, this would suggest that Boomers are indeed mentoring the next generation, as requested. Just as the Silent Generation mentored them.
Or maybe we should just all be coaching everyone we can, regardless of age? Co-creating that give & take space of risk and slow but steady learning? How would you say the amateur radio community is doing to invite everyone to jump in, give learning something new a try, and keep at it until they can contribute and eventually lead?
Right now, I’m listening in on how to become an NTS Traffic handler on the nightly MA-RI phone net. It’s a great daily reminder of what’s involved to put yourself out there doing something you know very little about. Starting and stumbling with hands-on practice to get better in another one of radio’s many many skill building challenges. As they say, every journey starts with an intention and the first tentative steps. I want to send a huge thank you to the net controls for letting me learn in my own way and pace. A year ago, I sent a one-off Radiogram for an EMA SET. Now, a year later, I’m taking the measure of what it would mean to really get better at traffic handling, and the commitment I would need to make. Radio is such a big tent, and the opportunities are there for hams to give things a trial run before you set your priorities. Beta test if the mentoring safety net you will likely need is there for you. But again, the first steps you risk in just showing up to try can ofen be the hardest. I encourage you: give it a try, anyhow. (And, FYI, the age of the net participants never comes up.)
Reddit is an online discussion forum with 130K members in the r/amateurradio community. LOTS of candid perspectives are posted there on the “younger people” question. For example, there was an informative thread on the question the community posed:
Is Amateur Radio Facing a Demographic Cliff?
https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/yhm5nf/is_amateur_radio_facing_a_demographic_cliff/
It was humorous to see this reply: “I remember seeing someone had posted an article in this sub about like pre-1950s saying ssb rag chewing is going to kill the hobby lol. Edit: Here’s the link. https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/iri3ab/from_2020_nope_this_is_the_june_1927_issue_of_qst/“
Another reddit comment shared:
“For many years, 12-18k new licenses were issued each year, except in 2007 when 24k new licenses were issued.
- In 2020, thirty three thousand new licenses were issued.
- In 2021, it was thirty five thousand.
- 2022 is on track to meet or exceed 2021.”
So: maybe the data point about the average age of a ham being 75 is meant to drive home a change-is-coming message that is driven by the financial realities of a changing market? If so, then what is the time frame to relaunch a new message? And who is the intended audience capable of funding this in the timeline given? We are all here to help reach the shared goal of a vital Amateur Radio community thriving into the next century. Let’s talk with one another.
As your new RI Section Manager, I have heard A LOT of push-back about messaging that many felt focused too exclusively on “young people”.
Here’s my suggestion towards a shared definition of an inclusive, age-blind ham community culture. Definitely an ongoing conversation with lots of listening needed all around.
- An amateur radio operator walks the talk of a growth-mindset spirit that transcends age. Mentoring is a given. There is a bias toward being a Maker / Hacker, curious and experimental. (Are you surprised to hear that many pioneers of AI neural networks began as radio tinkerers?)
- Amateur radio is the hobby of a lifetime because it is a big tent with endless areas to explore. Priorities and perspectives mentioned on tech-oriented discussion forums include:
- “Do NOT lead with “you can talk all over the world”. No one cares about that. The internet is the penultimate wide reaching network to anyone born after 1980. It’s the tech that they want. SDR’s, coding, IP, digital modes, bridging the internet to ham radio…” “computer hobbyists – local robotics, long range drone, linux user groups, things like that.”
- “Focus on competitive and field elements of the hobby like SOTA & POTA, especially travel light modes like FT8 and CW.”
- “POTA, because it feels like an EmCom drill every time, hike out to a remote location, set up antennas and power, try to make contacts. It’s been fun, learning and experimenting..”
- “ham radio is a wireless technology and radio science sandbox that is not only a really fun ultra-multifaceted hobby, but it’s also a prime extracurricular opportunity for young people (relative to the average amateur radio operator – a 55 year old white American).” https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28803690
- Getting started can be hard. Ideally, Amateur Radio offers right-size challenges for hands-on experiential learning in a welcoming community that wants every ham to succeed. The right attitude helps here, all around. With best intentions hoped for.
Please welcome our SIX new RI Hams & License Class Upgrades Oct 6- Nov 6, 2023
NEW Technicians
- Maggie Heaney, KC1TOQ – Chepachet
- Nicholas Rodrigues, N1RRW – Lincoln
NEW + Upgrade (1 General, 1 Extra)
- Sean M Foley, KC1TNA – Woonsocket (Technician 10-3-2023 > General 10-24-2023)
- Mark S Barabas, N2IRY – Saunderstown (Technician 10-2023 > Extra 11-2023)
Upgrade
- George R Archambault, WA1IWJ – North Smithfield (Technician > General )
- Luis M Lopes, AJ1NL – Riverside (General > Extra )
Volunteers on the Air: W1AW/1
Do you want to get on the air and operate the iconic call sign W1AW/1?
Rhode Island is the host state operating the call sign for Volunteers on the Air from November 29th to December 6th. For information on how to sign up as a RI operator, please email Mike Corey, KI1U at [email protected]
Here’s the top 25 on the VOTA Leaderboard as of 30 November 2023. https://vota.arrl.org/leaderboard.php?state=RI&submit=Filter+by+State
Congrats to all, with a special shout out to the Providence Radio Association, W1OP, for ongoing strong club commitment to VOTA 2023. Thank you!
Mesh Networking Infrastructure Collaboration Across New England
Please consider joining the [email protected] and attending the lively, technically informative monthly gatherings of SMEs across New England (and the US) currently collaborating on building out an interconnected mesh network across New England.
Use cases include:
- NTS traffic and EmComm with multi-media and work tool integration.
- Use of mobile mesh nodes to supplement coverage needed regardless of location.
- Remote video and spectral monitoring of repeater and network node sites including fire towers.
- Better integration with Government and Served Agency internet and office work tool partner processes.
- Independence from commercial power-dependent internet connectivity (with nodes equipped for extended operation following commercial power interruption.)
For more information, contact Rob Leiden, K1UI – the ARRL Assistant Director for Spectrum Protection & Utilization. https://nediv.arrl.org/spectrum-protection-utilization/
Slow Scan TV apps at next RI ARES meeting, December 6th at 7:30pm
Jeremy Taylor, K1JST (RI-SEC) will convene the next monthly RI ARES meeting on December 6, 2023 via Zoom to talk about Slow Scan TV apps and why he considers this a basic ham skill to add to your toolkit.
If you are interested in learning more about RI ARES, please fill out this form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfy-vr-MtgU6kbqcjailbvXVsmJhWoMUpY-vnp3aaF5NTurtg/viewform