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ONE MEETING, A NEW HAM BONNIE GOLLA, KC3SFO ASKED ABOUT THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF USING DRONES TO ATTACH ANTENNAS TO TALL TREES.  THE
DISCUSSION FOCUSED ON USING EXPENSIVE DRONES WITH SUFFICIENT LIFT
AND A REMOTE APPARATUS TO RELEASE THE PARACORD ON OR OVER THE TREE.
I SUGGESTED USING AN ANTENNA LAUNCHER ALSO KNOWN AS A SPUD GUN AND
SHARED INFORMATION FROM AN ARTICLE I READ ABOUT A PNEUMATIC ANTENNA
LAUNCHER.  BOB RAKER, W0BR, ONE OF THE MENTORS, EXPRESSED THAT HE
HAS ONE AND E MEET THE MENTOR A VIRTUAL MENTORSHIP PROGRAM THIS
PENNSYLVANIA RADIO CLUB FOUND A WAY TO CONTINUE MENTORING ITS
MEMBERS AND CREATING ENTHUSIASM FOR THE HOBBY, WHILE OVERCOMING THE
CHALLENGES OF COVID 19.  DON EVANS, K3ZR DESPITE THE COVID 19
GATHERING RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED IN 2020, SOUTH MOUNTAIN RADIO
AMATEURS SMRA, AN ARRL SPECIAL SERVICE CLUB, EFFECTIVELY FOUND A WAY
TO NOT ONLY ATTRACT NEW HAMS TO THE CLUB, BUT TO KEEP THEM MOTIVATED
WITHIN THE HOBBY.  SMRA IS LOCATED IN SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND
HAS OVER 100 MEMBERS.  DURING THE PANDEMIC, MORE PEOPLE BECAME
INTERESTED IN THE HOBBY AND MANY RADIO CLUBS EXPERIENCED MEMBERSHIP
GROWTH, DESPITE A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN MEMBER PARTICIPATION
OPPORTUNITIES.  SMRA PRESIDENT JACK HIMES, NC3O, EXPLAINED THE
ENSUING CHALLENGE WE HAVE A STEADY FLOW OF NEW HAMS FROM OUR
VOLUNTEER EXAMINERS PROGRAM BY OFFERING FREE MEMBERSHIP INTO OUR
CLUB TO EVERY PERSON WHO PASSES ANY LEVEL OF THEIR RADIO LICENSE
EXAM, HE SAID.  WE ALSO HAVE MENTORS AND OUR OWN CONTINUING
EDUCATION PROGRAMS, BUT WHEN WE WERE REDUCED TO ONCE A MONTH VIRTUAL
GENERAL MEETINGS, TRYING TO GET THE NEW HAMS TO MEET THE EXPERIENCED
ONES WAS THE CHALLENGE.  JACK ADDED THAT EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS BY
THEIR MENTORS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL, BECAUSE THEY NO LONGER HAD A SAFE
WAY TO FULFILL THE EXPECTATIONS OF NEW HAMS DURING THE PANDEMIC.  ON
THE FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH MOUNTAIN
RADIO AMATEURS SMRA MEET VIRTUALLY FOR THEIR MEET THE MENTOR
PROGRAM.  A NEED FOR CHANGE NEW MEMBERS ARE THE KEY TO GROWTH IN ANY
ORGANIZATION, AND MENTORS SUSTAIN THAT GROWTH.  PRIOR TO THE
PANDEMIC, NEW AND EXPERIENCED HAM CONNECTIONS WERE MADE AT SMRA
GENERAL MEETINGS, WHICH OFTEN LED TO SHACK VISITS AT HOME, RESULTING
IN LASTING FRIENDSHIPS.  ADDITIONALLY, THERE WERE QRP OUTINGS,
TRAFFIC NETS, PROJECT BUILDS, AND VOLUNTEER COMMUNICATION
ACTIVITIES.  WHEN ACTIVITIES WERE CANCELLED IN 2020 BECAUSE OF THE
PANDEMIC, SMRA NEEDED TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY COULD THRIVE IN SUCH
UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES, AND HOW HAMS COULD CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE EACH
OTHER AND EXPLORE IDEAS.  JOHN JAMINET, W3HMS, A KEY CLUB MEMBER,
EDUCATOR, AND ACTIVE MENTOR, RECOGNIZED THE IMMEDIATE NEED TO COME
UP WITH AN IDEA TO PROVIDE NEW HAMS WITH SUPPORT AND CAMARADERIE,
WHILE THERE WAS AN INCREASED INTEREST IN THE HOBBY.  TOGETHER WITH
LATE SMRA VICE PRESIDENT ED CROSSLEY, W3SMF SK, THEY RECOGNIZED THAT
NEW HAMS OFTEN DIDNT KNOW WHERE OR HOW TO SEEK ASSISTANCE.  AWARE
THAT MANY KNOWLEDGEABLE HAMS WERE WILLING TO SHARE THEIR TIME AND
EXPERIENCES, JOHN CAME UP WITH A PLAN TO CREATE A VIRTUAL
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