Last weekend my youngest son ask me: ..."what to do to be an Radio Amateur and communicate with other people around the globe ???". Usually, the kids of radio amateurs are staying away of radios and all that "noises" that get "familiar" very early at their life. They use the Ham shack as ...playground using dad's spare computers and solving (mostly) software issues.
Well, my kid for some reason get anxious with communications and I had a opportunity to have a good start. I confused a little (after dozens of Ham students I've prepare for exams at SV5 land) but soon I found the time and place to start. WPX weekend and at our shack ofcourse.
First object the International phonetic
code.
A
small ASUS netbook running the Logger32, a short briefing how the log works (he
got already some tricks looking me all those years ...hi hi), lightweight
headphones and the ...Game Rules.As you hear the DX station you try to get his call and write it down the log correct. If you are not sure just check dad's screen...
The very first 3 hours of Saturday was real pain for him but he didn't give up. Every letter was a question and every answer from dad, a smile of success for him... We forgot almost to eat, but early the afternoon we leave Americans and get a big walk away from screens and QRM... Just before the grey line we get back in shack and we have some exotic calls down the log. 330 QSOs at first day for dad it's OK... about 25 complete calls for him and a lot of complains about the speed of speech from me and the others...
At Sunday Konstantinos wake me up early the morning... A new day and a new challenge for him... JA start’s come strong at clear of QRN and QRM 10m band. The Japanese accent of English is not helps the kid but he try harder...
It looks to recognize all letters and numbers even few of that its not "compatible" with international phonetic code as "Sugar", "Baker", "Zanzibar" etc... Anyway the secret it's the first letter and he focus on that. Sunday was a real joy for him playing this strange game. He ask me tons of questions about signal fading, the mixed signals, distorted voices, reports and exchange and all that's .."very common" for all of us.
Late the afternoon of Sunday this strange game (but beautiful as he said) ends and I’m sure that the next days, months, maybe years I have to find more attractive ways to free his fantasy about Ham Radio.
All next must be a game for him.
As is anyway...!
