Trying to get my (almost 12 year old) daughter into ham radio

[blindfire]

I ran across a young lady (11 or so) over on the Westford repeater last Wednesday. I got her call sign and was going to send her a radiogram and ask her how she studied so I could share it with my girl.

Well, I ended up going to the NVARC meeting the following day and met one of the guys who was a member of Nashua's club. He knows the girl and her dad. He put me in touch with the dad and we emailed about having the two girls chat on the air.

My girl was shy so I had to prompt her with some questions that I knew she'd thought of. They chatted for a few minute and after the QSO was over, she was so excited.

I hooked her up with HamTestOnline and she's started studying!

Hopefully, we'll have another hamlet in the hobby soon!

 

[cockpitbob]

At that age their brains retain so much so fast. In my club one of the member's daughters got her Tech at 10. At the age of 11 my son was really into it. I gave him some lessons at home then we did a Tech-in-a-day class and he passed the Tech test. He was almost obsessed so every day after school he plowed through 2 or 3 General tests online. Two weeks later he passed his General (at the age of 11)!

The key is finding what aspect of the hobby she likes and make sure it's fun for her. My son loved doing things like Field Day.

Here's the bad news. Both my son and the other member's daughter quit being interested in ham radio about the time the teenage hormones kicked in. He hasn't done anything with his license since he was 14. One thing I regret not doing with my son is digital modes. Kids these days are more comfortable communicating with texting than actually speaking to each other on the phone.

 

[blindfire]

At that age their brains retain so much so fast. In my club one of the member's daughters got her Tech at 10. At the age of 11 my son was really into it. I gave him some lessons at home then we did a Tech-in-a-day class and he passed the Tech test. He was almost obsessed so every day after school he plowed through 2 or 3 General tests online. Two weeks later he passed his General (at the age of 11)!

The key is finding what aspect of the hobby she likes and make sure it's fun for her. My son loved doing things like Field Day.

Here's the bad news. Both my son and the other member's daughter quit being interested in ham radio about the time the teenage hormones kicked in. He hasn't done anything with his license since he was 14. One thing I regret not doing with my son is digital modes. Kids these days are more comfortable communicating with texting than actually speaking to each other on the phone.

Yeah, I'd like to show her the digital modes as well. Hell, I'm amped to start learning them. Just gots to gets me my antenna up!