The Annual Meeting of C.A.R.L./W7ASC will be held on Saturday, January 28, 2012 in Board Room A at the Arizona Science Center from 9:30 am to noon.  If you are interested, please be prompt so that we can get things rolling on time.  The Board Room A  is located in the basement level at the east end of the building.  Please take the central elevator or stairway to the lower level.  Physically challenged can get assistance with the elevator as it requires a key to decend to the basement.

Shack News
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February 2012

Watch Your [Ham Speak] Language! Talking to non-Hams at W7ASC.

We probably all agree that we volunteer at W7ASC for our own pleasure, to  show and tell visitors about Amateur radio and to do a bit of recruiting. 

In a prior newsletter you read that the National average is about one Ham for every 390 citizens in the U.S. Arizona is close to the National average, but the Science Center visitors probably tend to a slightly higher number of Hams. Just for the sake of this Article, let us agree that we see about one Ham in 250 visitors to the Ham Shack (excuse me, Amateur Radio Station). The obvious conclusion is that there are 249 people who know little or nothing about Amateur radio. As they look our way and a puzzled look appears, we have just a fleeting moment in which to connect and engage.

Remembering that we are seeking to entertain and recruit, what do we say?

"Hi, there! Look what we have here. We are running our Gonsu 888 into a stacked Yogi-Bera and we have tweaked it down to less that two to one Ess-war. We are on HF using USB PSK 31 on twenty meters. Just worked some rare VR9 DX on the long path in-spite of Q-Arem and should be receiving a Quesl card before long."

"If that doesn't get you excited, we can show you what PISK 33 looks like, right here on the computer screen. Wanna try it?"

The Visitor will obviously want to know the location of the next VE test session so that they can obtain their very own Ham License, knowing that they can later file for a Vanity call. Or maybe legally eat a Ham Sandwich.

OK - you probably get the point here. A famous movie line applies very well.  "What we got here is a failure to communicate".

This is a typical Human trait. Almost all groups use their own special "slanguage". It develops almost without intention. Airlines do not fly planes - they use "equipment" and they do not count the number of passengers.  The car service guy does it too. The frammis is worn, thus requiring the replacement of the boot on the knibbling pin. And in another 3k you must bring it in so that they can contabulate the Encabulator. [Jean has been listening to too much "Car Talk" on PBS]

Whoa, Nellie! Back to the original objective. Do we want to impress the visitor with our special speech capability, or do we wish to interest them in Amateur radio. Even the term "Ham Shack" has meaning to Hams, but not to others. Really. As an exercise for the student: Where did "Ham" come from?  What did it originally mean? Answers are in the back of the book.

It is important to watch your language and the choice of words when attempting to start a conversation with the vast majority of the visitors.  Work to bridge the gap between what they know and what we are trying to impart. Showing the latest QST to a non-Ham creates an impression that Amateur radio is for a special breed (old) of highly (fat) trained geeks.  Flip through those pages and read them as if you never heard of radio. What do they tell you?

This is clearly a challenge. Think before you speak and select your script with care.  Asking a young person if they are interested in obtaining a Ham license usually results in a blank expression or a quick exit. What? A license for a Ham[burger]? Do you entice a visitor with an offer of a Que-so? Or show all of our Quesls? That has a lot of >yawn< appeal to a youngster. Instead, tell the visitor that we have talked to over 100
different countries and show the cards that we exchange with the other operators. Work to extend the conversation from what they know to what you are trying to say.

We should call attention to the fine Superstition ARC Newsletter that has been streaming from Dave, K7AV. Called "The Communicator", it certainly lives up to that title. See:

http://wb7tjd.org/club/archive/2011/Club_Newsletters/

If you are not on Dave's mailing list, take whatever steps are required to be included.

More next time on how to bridge the gap and how to improve communications (in spite of Strother Martin) with non-hams. 

Jean (W4CIH) and the iPad, in Ahwatukee

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The next Tech class is at MCC starting February 25th 2012.

Last but not least the CARL/W7ASC annual meeting for all volunteers will be SATURDAY the 28th of January. Coffee! Doughnuts! Door Prizes! Shack Updates!
Watch for details in the next (March) ADAW.

And now for our closing plea for volunteers:
The W7ASC Shack can always use new volunteers. Spread the word at your Ham
Club. Call 480-961-1109 and volunteer now. We have a 20 minute CARL PPT
Presentation available with pictures of the new remodeled Harkins Ham Shack
that can be presented to your club.
 
--73 Bob Burleson KG7QJ
  480-961-1109  kg7qj@cox.net

For more information, please contact us at:

Copyright  2012

 C.A.R.L. - W7ASC.org