By: Bo Budinger (WA1QYM) President: PART of Westford Growing Your Local Club

 Purpose of this talk: To provide insights into how to grow your club ie: how to make it more successful and how to recruit new members  Background of the Speaker:  President of PART the Police Amateur Radio Team of Westford, Massachusetts  One of the Original founders of PART in 1975  Licensed since 1968 Growing Your Local Club

PART of Westford ARRL Special Service Club General ham radio club with an emergency communications tradition We participate in a full spectrum of ham radio related activities

What do hams want from a radio club ?

 A source of technical information about their hobby  A support group for ham related problems  A place to have fun  A social connection  A way of using their communications skills What do hams want from a local club? (My View)

 Monthly Meetings  Communications  Social Events  Club Structure  Special Operating Events  Support from the ARRL How to make your club more successful (areas that will be discussed)

 Maintain regular meetings  Have a firm agenda for each meeting  Interact with the audience  Minimize the business component  Have a good speaker or activity for each meeting  Take a casual approach* Monthly Meetings

Taking a Casual Approach

 Speakers  from within the club itself  other clubs  ARRL Boxboro  ARRL EMA Speakers List  Video’s and CD’s  ARRL Video and Multimedia  Northern California DX Foundation  Show and Tell  Construction Projects  Fox Hunt Monthly Meetings (Main Event) Rich (AB1HD) On PSK31 Allison (KB1GMX)

Mike Keller (W1BNC), chief engineer at WCVB Television presented an overview of Digital Television technology. John Vogel (N1PGA) presented an introduction to Contesting Dave Berstein (AA6YQ) presented an overview of the DX Lab Suite software. Les Peters (N1SV) talked about the Art of QSLing PART Member Scott (NE1RD) talked about his DXpedition to Montserrat Miles Mann (WF1F) spoke about Amateur Radio/SSTV on the International Space Station. Some previous PART Meeting Speakers

 Web Page (  Vital as a source of club information  Has to be kept current  Reflector  How PART members stay in touch  Weekly Net  Keeps local hams informed  Newsletter  Does not have to be “every month” Club Communications

Social Events ( meets a real need) Christmas Party Field Day Breakfasts

 President  Has to focus on the large picture  Other Elected Officials  good counselors  Appointed Positions  webmaster, photographer,  Field Day chairman, quartermaster,  raffle chairman etc.  Good source of future club officers Club Structure Bob N1RXV PART Photographer Steve N1BDA Field Day Chairman

 Awards and Certificates  Club Gear Club Structure PART Presidents AwardTom (AG1I) Coffee Mugs, Hats, T Shirts, Jackets, Bumper Stickers etc

 Field Day  Communications Support for parades etc  Special Events Station K1P (look for us next spring)  Field Trips Special Operating Events Changed our emphasis Initiated Tool Box Talks

 Become an affiliated club or even better a Special Service Club  Use your Section Affiliated Club Coordinator and Section Manager  Draw on support from ARRL Headquarters Support from the ARRL

 The computer software and hardware community  Sons, daughters and relatives of existing hams  Former hams who get back into the hobby My experience has been that new members come mainly from: Brent (KB1LQD) and Bryce (KB1LQC) sons of John (KB1MGI) Kimberly (KB1PZG) daughter of Andy (KB1OIQ) How to Recruit New Members

 Publicize your clubs existence  Within the ham radio community  Within the overall community  Support Ham radio Classes and VE Sessions  Work with local schools How to Recruit New Members Andy (KB1OIQ) and Kimberly (K1PZG) Prepare to march in Westford’s Apple Blossom Parade

Conclusions You can “Grow your Local Club” if you meet the needs of your local ham radio community  Provide a place to disseminate technical information  Provide a support group for ham related problems  Establish a place to have fun  Create an atmosphere for social connections  Foster the use of communications skills  Focus on the recruitment of new members Growing Your Local Club