ARC recruitment

This page addresses ideas to recruit new members by convincing non-hams to become interested in amateur radio.

The information on this page should be considered alongside the ARC Exposure page which focuses on getting the word out to those already interested in amateur radio but who are unaware the UCF ARC exists.

Invitation e-mail to new members

What: Open House Meeting of the Amateur Radio Club
When: Friday, September 2, 5:30pm
Where: Engineering I room 456

The Amateur Radio Club at UCF is holding an Open House meeting for prospective members that may be interested in joining. We will be giving a brief introductory presentation of Amateur Radio, club activities and what both have to offer.

Whether you are majoring in Engineering, Computer Science or even Film there are many different aspects of this hobby that may interest you. Amateur Radio allows you to communicate with people around the world (and the International Space Station). In addition to communications it also gives you a chance to get more hands on experience with radio technology, antenna design, electronics, wireless networking and many other different topics. Come find out about amateur radio and what it can offer you!

Come see us in Engineering 1 room 456 this Friday, September 2 at 5:30pm for our first meeting of the semester!

Club Links:

Wiki/Website: http://www2.mmae.ucf.edu/wiki/UCF_ARC

Club Mailing List: http://groups.google.com/group/arc-at-ucf/

Club Calender: http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=cjajt5eal410t3qbvdqfj1i7lc%40group.calendar.google.com

Sincerely,
(Whoever send it)

classroom presentations

potential classes

egn 1006 / 1007	Introduction to Engineering
EEL 3552	Analog and Digital Communication Fundamentals
EEL 3470	Electromag Fields

• Physics 2
• Networks 1
• Principles of EE

• Add Communications Classes

During various fairs

short activity list

We do these things...

• build antennas
• talk around the world
• wifi

multimedia resources

Various ARRL multimedia publications should be on display, including:

• Image:Allen-PSA0105.mp3 about our role in disasters
• "Amateur Radio Today" with Walter Cronkite
• News media coverage clips of K4VUD

Live demos

• assemble arrow dual band yagi
• Large antenna setup
• Set up HF radio on voice and/or code (if we can find any)
• Pre-recorded QSO's in voice and code
• Echolink or other VoIP connection to remote HF radio (ours or someone else's)
  • must get echolink port opened in firewall for each machine
  • Echolink would allow us to demo Amateur Radio across far distances only using a laptop
  • should try to set up echolink proxy server
• Live VHF QSO??
• APRS demo -- carry units, demo display at table?

Other recruitment

• Collaboration with other clubs, including SAE, SEDS
• Fliers around campus prior to first meeting
• In EE classes, especially involving EE communications and antenna design

Club activities to keep members interested

(outline from referenced article)

• Repeater:
  • autopatch
  • audio playback
  • VoIP features
  • periodic announcements of club activities (record & synthesized)
  • emergency announcements on repeater (tornado, hurricane, severe thunderstorms)
  • talk to newcomers on the repeater, be friendly and inviting
  • keep repeater in good working order and properly used
  • keep repeater busy, monitor it and answer CQ's (rather than be silent)
  • don't over censor or over control repeater
• Scheduled field trips to local points of interest
• regular social non-business gatherings
• help members with equipment problems
• keep members informed via e-mail and web (but don't flood with e-mail)
• Club newsletter (annual?), include pictures as well as articles
• New members: check for new hams in the area via internet databases and/or ARRL notification and actively recruit

Intro presentation

Use this for first welcome meeting and maybe egn 1006

• What is Amateur Radio?
• What is it good for / what can you use it for?
  • transmit vs. broadcast
  • non-business use
• major specific info
  • engineering
    • wifi
    • relate to EE courses
    • fields and antenna design courses
  • communications
    • many journalists are hams (ex: Walter Cronkite)
    • international contacts
• Projects --> choose

topics

• emergency services
• wifi -- power and high gain antennas for amateur use only
• antenna selection
• communications -- CB vs. Ham
  • licensed
    • testing
  • more power
  • more formal

vocab

repeater FM SWR gain

What does amateur radio mean to you?

• Talk
  • communication
  • meeting people
  • volunteer / emergency
• Technical
  • Building antennas
  • Building radios
  • Digital communications
  • Making things work
  • tinkering
  • climbing
• something to do -- life long hobby

References

• Green, Murray (K3BEQ)., Add Spice and Members to Your Club. ARRL, March 13, 2005.