Just A Fun Day in the Park — November 28, 2009

It’s not everyday that people talk about great weather and Oklahoma in the same sentence.  Occasionally, great weather days do happen, even in Oklahoma, and this is a story about one of those days.  Thanksgiving 2009 certainly was one of those great weather opportunities to get on the air at the park, and we had four great days in a row.  Ifyou’re like me, you spent most of Thursday with family and friends eating too much, and later gathered around the TV watching Football.  When Jackie and I returned home I was relieved to learn that the weather on Friday would be just as good as Thursday. Saturday might be better than Friday.  Good weather on days when most kids are out of school now means a trip to the local park, KID’S ZONE.

On Friday, the morning air was a bit chilly, but the sun began to warm things up quickly.  My Grandson Darrion and I finished loading the car and we headed off to Kid’s Zone about 1pm. The park already had about 50 kids playing inside.  Clifton KE5YZB showed up, and immediately we began setting up the K5USA station.  It takes about 30 minutes to get everything ready.  As a matter of course, we now always bring our “Help Wanted” sign and place it at the end of the sidewalk.  Take a left and you go to the play area, turn right and you’re heading to the restroom.

Viking Radio Club member Shelby showed up and had a great QSO with Dave W4RN who just finished putting up a new home brew antenna (that sounded remarkable).  Shelby had to catch-up with her family and leave.  Dave and I continued the conversation discussing homebrew antennas.  When the QSO ended, other operators gave K5USA a shout.  Most were eager to talk with kids and others were interested in hearing about our Radio In the Park program.  Above, Shelby, needing a bit of help with spelling her name phonetically.

Our next visitors were playing in the park and happened along our way to ask “what-cha-doing”?  So of course we told them.  KM5IO, “Doc” over in Hobert, OK got a chance to talk with Andrew.  Doc did a great job of getting Andrew to open up and of course planted the seed of thought about amateur radio in Andrew’s future.

Later in the day, we met Taiwana (Left), who talked to Mike, WD5USA on a local repeater.  Although the picture is staged, Taiwana was very relaxed on the radio and expressed how cool it was to talk on the radio.  She’s expressed interest in learning more and has already starting learning the materials for her Technician Class license.  Throughout the afternoon others would stop by and visit and many would get on the radio.

We certainly learned some new things this trip … most kids are actually a bit mic-shy.  Amazingly their friends always have questions to ask — until it’s their turn to get on the radio.  Continually, we find ourselves prompting rather than coaching.  Hmm, would 3×5 Que cards work?

This little bit of prompting should be enough for the other operator to get them to start talking and respond with more than a frustrating yes or no answer.  Radio In the Park is still a work in progress and we are seeing positive results in our community.

Our target age group is 8-12 year olds, but certainly some moms and dads will come along for the amateur journey too.  Recently a parent of a Viking Radio Club member stopped by the park to offer his appreciation for our activities and spurring a new found learning activity for his son.  Bob Roundtree, KC5EIU is the first one to tell parents – it’s a lot more than just talking on the radio!  Above, Juliana took time out of her busy afternoon and stopped by and got on the radio – Juliana required little prompting and did a great job.  Her older sister was reluctant to get on the air, and Darrion is somewhat of a regular, but his interest has yet to develop.  Darrion does bring interested kids over who will get on the radio and talk.  We might have to make him a recruiter, what do you think?

After Shelby left, there was plenty of time to just get on the radio on enjoy a QSO with several hams that heard W4RN and I chatting.  Most related their support for our efforts and that always goes a long way.  KD6QCT, Ron went one step further and mentioned that he might begin his own Radio In the Park program.  What we are doing is certainly transferable to a park near you.  You’ll know you’re in the right location if you see a lot of kids.  I’ll offer a few unsolicited suggestions:

1. Be consistent and be persistent.
2. Identify your key support operators.  Those naturally great with kids.
3. Limit the size of your key supporters to 3 or 4.  A large group of hams socializing may send the wrong message and shy some interested youth away.  Youthful operators, the more the merrier.
4. Who is going to talk to Mom and Dad, and what will you tell them?
5. Answer Mom and dad’s question.  Why should my kid go to all this trouble when cell phones are so readily available?  – Remember the journey of self-learning!  That’s a reason we actively seeking interested 8-12 year olds.
6. Do you have an operator that loves doing something actively on the radio?
   1. Phone, CW, SSTV, RTTY and/or PSK have someone doing something.  This operator is the grinding wheel – who may not be the best person to talk with the visitors, but rather a person willing to always be active.
   2. Your visitors now see activity and you have something to talk about!
   3. Be excited — WOW!!! He just talked to the USS COD, an amateur radio station aboard a WWII submarine in Cleveland, OH.  How exciting will it be when you make contact with the Queen Mary, a distant Lighthouse or a foreign country?
7. Occasionally build something, right there in the PARK!
8. Have a colorful welcoming sign.
9. Banner.
10. Be safety conscience.
    1. We’ve asked people to move away from the antenna structure.
    2. Place antenna(s) out of the obvious pathways.
    3. Safety cones.
    4. Two adults present.
11. Have a localized flyer ready to hand your visitor when they leave.  Remember, WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN and HOW.   Include contact information?
12. Make the local repeater a resource too.  Ask for volunteers not necessarily your core operators, to reply back when requested.
13. Document your adventures!  Include pictures.  Send out a report to anyone and everyone that supports youth enrichment programs.  Remember your friends at the Park and Recreation Department.
14. Occasionally bring out some portable renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind generators.  This type of eye candy tends to bring out plenty of adults that ask – wha-cha-doing?

Successes are measured in positive contacts, not new amateurs.  New amateurs will happen, as they did for us, but that process takes months – sometimes years.  Providing an opportunity for kids to experience and learn about amateur radio opportunities is enough fun for us, and that’s why we go to the park.  Your next radio in the park with K5USA is scheduled for December 20^th.