ARC Exposure

The UCF ARC can always benefit from positive exposure. Recruitment focuses on convincing non-hams to become interested in amateur radio. However, there may be students who already have an interest in amateur radio (maybe even a license), but simply do not know the club exists. This page addresses ways in which the UCF ARC can get its name out.

General Philosophy

• Exposure focuses on getting noticed by students interested in amateur radio.
• Unlike Recruitment, exposure does not need to convince people to join the club.
• The ultimate goal goal is to increase/maintain the size of the UCF ARC.
• To accomplish this, we will try to:
  • Make the UCF ARC known to those unaware of its existence.
  • Make it easy to learn about the UCF ARC.
  • Make the first ARC meeting as inviting as possible.

STEP 1: Making ARC Known to Those Unaware of its Existence

Our focus is to let people who already have an interest in amateur radio know that there is an active ARC at UCF. This may be accomplished by the methods described below. Remember, the primary purpose of these advertisements is to direct prospective members to the UCF ARC website for more information (step 2). Although we can provide the weekly meeting location and time, it may be intimidating for many to walk in to a meeting filled with people they've never met in a room they've never seen before.

Large Unmanned Signs in Populated Areas

A wooden sign propped up in front of the Student Union is a low-maintenance way to get the UCF ARC club noticed by hundreds of people a day. However, the key is noticed. The sign should be designed in such a way to be as eye-catching as possible to those interested in engineering, electronics, and/or amateur radio. Possible designs include:

• Bright colors (black text on a neon yellow background)
• Sharp patterns (black/yellow stripes)
• Symbols that catch the eye of engineering-types (a small circuit diagram, a high voltage sign, or radio symbol)

The UCF ARC already owns a wooden sign. It might benefit the club to build two or three additional signs, with slightly different colors, messages, or symbols on each one.

Flyers Posted in Populated Areas

I'm not sure about the red tape one has to go through to post flyers around campus, but it could serve as an inexpensive way to get the message across to multiple regions of campus simultaneously.

Public Events

Field day and other public events expose the UCF ARC to many people who were previously unaware of its existence, however such events are relatively infrequent, and should not be relied upon as the primary source of exposure.

STEP 2: Make it Easy to Learn About the UCF ARC

After prospective members learn there is an ARC at UCF, they will investigate it online. Although the K4UCF wiki is extremely functional for club members, it is dauntingly complex for prospective members and basic information (such as photos of the members, the radio shack / meeting room, and descriptions of what happens at these meetings) is difficult to find.

Welcome Page for Prospective Members

A special web page dedicated to informing non-members about what the UCF ARC in a simple, concise, and appealing manner which extends invitation for prospective members to visit the meetings would make it much more inviting. This website should include:

• Photos of some of the events
• Photos of the shack (indoors, comfortable, and in AC)
• Descriptions of some of the projects the ARC is working on
• Description of a typical meeting
• Detailed description of how to get to the shack, including photos of the door to the engineering room and the back office.

STEP 3: Make the First ARC Meeting as Inviting as Possible

A majority of the work involved for making the first meeting as unintimidating as possible involves making as much information about the UCF ARC meetings available online as possible. Additional actions may include:

• Posting welcome signs outside the engineering room before every meeting
• Offering free soda to first time visitors
• Schedule "introduction" meetings (or pick a meeting it is likely new members will show up at) and make sure that activities for that meeting are interesting, start on time and are well planned.