Doug:
You're absolutely right about the need to keep the interest going.
Our life situations and priorities change, as does our level of interest in
the hobby from time to time.
Yet, if contact can somehow be maintained over the years, that interest can
be re-ignited in rather unexpected ways.
For example, I got my first license as a novice in 1969. After that license
expired, I was out of the hobby for over 20 years, due to other priorities
like pursuing my Bachelors, Masters, and PHD degrees, becoming established
in my career, and raising a family.
Then, in 1994, I was having a casual conversation with a friend, who turned
out to be active in our local ham club, and, well, as Paul Harvey used to
say, "Now you know the rest of the story". In 1994, I tested for, and got
my Novice license, after which time, I quickly upgraded through the General
and to the Extra. Now, I'm more involved in the hobby and its various
aspects than ever, so you just never know.
Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Doug and Sheilla Emerson" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, November 05, 2013 10:53 PM
Subject: Re: Listening to stations far away: was RE: Baseball on the Radio
Part 3
> As I see it, getting young people to get their license isn't so much the
> problem. It's keepingthem interested after passing the test, which they do
> without a problem. We have a fella in our club who got his license at age
> 15. All he did was hang out in his room, play with his computer and talk
> on
> his repeater with his h t. Several guys gave him rigs, antennas, coax, the
> whole bit. Because he's so computer smart, the repeater trustee gave him
> the
> manual for our rc210 controler so he could do things with it the trustee
> couldn't figure out for the life of him. Well, a year later, he turned 16.
> He got his driver's license and he discovered "girls". After graduating
> from
> high school, he started attending junior college. Today, he's hardly ever
> on
> the air, even though he's got a mobile in his ride. I mean it. When he was
> hanging out in his bedroom, you couldn't shut him up! The car and the
> girls
> have caused him to shut up on his own. It's keeping them interested that's
> the real challenge. 73. Doug, N6NFF
>
>
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