Recruitment
Recruitment Working Group
Discussion: Recruitment activity in the past has focused as being a joint partner in local in community events where CERT has a booth (e.g. National Night Out, 4th of July Festival, and the Tri-City Safety Fair, and similar). Mailings have been attempted, but followups were lacking.
Proposal: Future successful recruitment is being enhanced through a more active outreach method utilizing such modalities as newsletters, announcements (such as through EBARC and Contra Costa Communications Club newsletters), Local Net Announcements, Amateur Radio License Classes, at CERT Trainings, Field Day, Ham Picnics, PTA groups, Church and Community Groups, Boy Scouts, Neighborhood Watch Groups, a Greater Web Presence, and Mailings to Local Hams. Besides Public Service Announcements (PSAs) we attempt to target specific groups like disaster preparedness groups, CERT, electronics enthusiasts, makers, electronic supply outlets, digital email lists, digital forums, social networking, links with sister/brother radio websites, etc.
Needs: KARO/ECHO needs more operators in order to provide 24/7 EmComm communications during prolonged power outages, telephone outages, cell phone outages, earthquakes, severe weather disruptions, shelters, and similar. Since we need more trained operators to accomplish our purpose, we need more outreach help who can utilize local media, internet, newsletters, ham classes, club newsletters, and license exams to recruit more licensed radio operators. Please join this effort and send an email to < info at karoecho dot net >
Recruitment Team Leader: Blake KN6CMP: Members: Ednalee, KN6VTY and Martha, K6ELO
Purview/Job Description:
Arranges KARO-ECHO recruitment in local radio club newsletters, events and meetings, affiliated websites, local Hamfests, picnics, swap meets, ham radio license classes, neighborhood newsletters media, Facebook, Twitter, Nextdoor, El Cerrito Patch, local CERT trainings, local disaster committee meetings, mailings, brochure design, graphic art design, etc.
Initializes an attractive welcome letter mailings to all new hams in KE boundaries describing KE, its mission, how to join, the KE net, and meetings. KAROECHO Outreach lists our webpage on related Bay Area Radio Clubs and Disaster Services agencies. Please send any additional outreach ideas to info at karoecho dot net
Data Base Resources
Our Recruitment/Outreach Working Group takes advantage of the listing of all hams by zip code and other methods
Radio QTH Data Base at http://www.radioqth.net/ziplookup [1]
Also WM7d data base at http://www.wm7d.net/fcc_uls [2]
Just enter the city, state, and zipcode here at the FCC data base http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/searchAmateur.jsp
Hint: Simply entering city, state, and zipcode will get you ALL the hams fitting that criteria. You can also include the DATE INFORMATION delimiter, you can get all the NEW hams licensed since that date. There are on an average 10-15 newly licensed hams in our area each year.
Additionally hams are broken down as to addresses and callsigns here:
http://www.city-data.com/aradio/lic-El-Cerrito-California.html (El Cerrito)
http://www.city-data.com/aradio/lic-Kensington-California.html (Kensington)
HamCall.net also offers a free data base of all licensed hams (see their upper left hand corner search bar)
The FCC Callsign Data Base (Search by Callsign, Name, or FRN)
Announcements of Local Area Ham Radio License Courses, Exams, and Newsletters
WALNUT CREEK CERT “HAM-CRAM” SESSIONS
Hillside Clubhouse (Rossmoor), Vista Room, 3400 Golden Rain Rd., Walnut Creek, CA
Student Fee is $35.00 (payable at the door), which includes all study materials, FCC exam and license fees, free additional re-testing, plus coffee and juice breakfast, pizza or hoagie lunch with refreshments during the balance of the day. Pre-registration (REQUIRED) on-line at: https://sites.google.com/site/wccerthams
For more information contact: Dick DuBey KJ6CWQ, 925.876.0125 (cell) 925.300.3347 (office phone).
The Benicia Amateur Radio Club offers frequent ham cram courses and same day exams. Check http://beniciaarc.com often and send them our recruitment brochures.
The East Bay ARC (EBARC) frequently offers ham radio license courses and exams. EBARC is an excellent venue for recruitment. See http://www.ebarc.org/want.html
Karo-Echo in partnership with EBARC has been holding an 8 week Technician Class in El Cerrito at the Arlington Park Clubhouse. See: http://ko6no.com/
ARCA, ORCA, and EBARC sponsor joint ARRL VEC Amateur Radio Test Sessions quarterly at 9 a.m. in the Media Room, 1605 Martin Luther King Jr. Way (at 16th St.), Oakland. The remaining test date for 2019 is Oct 27. The fee for 2019 is still $15. Info: 510-918-4627 or 510-741-8227.
The Mount Diablo Amateur Radio Club (MDARC) also offers courses and exams. See http://www.mdarc.org/activities/education/Classes
The Contra Costa Communications Club (CCCC) is a local ham radio repeater club that meets at Denny's El Cerrito (Potrero and San Pablo). They support many repeaters in our area and also have an excellent newsletter. See: http://www.wa6kqb.org/
Bay Area Educational Amateur Radio Society (BAEARS) provides listings of Bay Area ham classes and exams. Additional info on how to get started in Amateur Radio is also provided.
Please see the KaroEcho EVENTS page for more current listings https://www.karoecho.net/events
Web Outreach
Recruiting at local events most often exceeds the effort made versus returns ratio. Such efforts such at Field Day, Swap Meets, Hamfests, Tri-City Safety Day, National Night Out, Fourth of July, Solano Stroll, and similar are much less successful than recruitment at targeted events such as CERT events, Public Safety Meetings, Disaster Organization newsletters, Neighborhood Watch groups, and related web presence including NEXTDOOR, El Cerrito PATCH, FACEBOOK, YouTube, etc. Occasionally we can submit articles about KAROECHO to local newspapers and social media such as Field Day, upcoming classes, exams, and Simulated Emergency Tests.