Trying to promote Amateur Radio to young people is getting harder and harder. With many, if not most, young people carrying cell phones, I have heard this comment more than once. “Why use a ham radio when I can call anywhere in the world with my cell phone?” In an answer to this many ham operators try to use the fact that a cell phone won’t work in most emergency situations. Situations where the towers are down, like in hurricanes or tornados or if there is no power to operate the cell system. However most young people don’t identify with this situation. They feel that the system is indestructible and they probably won’t be in that situation anyway.
A student of mine used this argument when I offered a Amateur Radio class at my school. I asked him to call someone in
This is one way that I thought of to answer young people when they bring up the reason of not wanting to get into ham radio because they would rather use the cell phone. Cell phones are great, but they don’t compare to Amateur Radio. Actually we are talking about two different means of communication.
Maybe you can help. If you are a ham radio operator, how would you answer a young person that dismisses amateur radio on the basis of cell phones? Getting our youth involved in ham radio will mean the continuation of the hobby. Not doing so could mean the end of our hobby. Share your ideas, please!
