By Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM
Contributing Editor
June 23, 2004
This time, we highlight some school Amateur Radio clubs and learn about a new HF youth net.
 At the William Byrd High School Amateur Radio Club, Naomi Musselman, KI4BAS, operates the radio while Ronnie Robertson looks on. |
 Aaron Albertson, KI4BAU (right), and Woody Thompson, KQ4NW, of the William Byrd High School Amateur Radio Club, operate during School Club Roundup.[Steve Nation, WD4DUY, Photos] |
William Byrd High School Amateur Radio Club
The William Byrd High School Amateur Radio Club, WB4HS, in Vinton, Virginia, has been in existence for five years--the last two as an ARRL Education and Technology Program (ETP) pilot school. Principal Richard Turner, KZ4VT, is the club's sponsor.
Currently, the club has twelve members, and three of the students have their Technician licenses. At a typical meeting, five or six students and two volunteers from the local ham community attend. Attendance is typically higher during periodic "dinner meetings," however.
The club has kept busy by cosponsoring a hamfest with the Roanoke Valley Amateur Radio Club (W4CA), making more than 200 contacts in the School Club Roundup, talking to other classes at the school about ham radio, building antennas and helping the middle school start a radio club of its own. They've even been on TV and in the newspaper!
Turner says the students enjoy learning about--and talking
on--ham radio and experimenting with digital modes. Some, but not all, like
Morse code. Turner offers this tip to other school radio clubs: "Make contacts
with teachers and administrators and show them what radio can do to enhance the
school and the students."
 Bloomington High School South's Nicole Aubin checks out the K9SOU ham station. She says learning Morse code has been her favorite experience. |
 Bloomington South ARC member Katie Hawkins, KC9FFB. |
Bloomington High School South Amateur Radio Club
The Bloomington High School South Amateur Radio Club, K9SOU, in Bloomington, Indiana, got its start in the spring of 2002 to get students interested in Amateur Radio," says the club's sponsor and chemistry teacher Neil Rapp, WB9VPG (when he was licensed in 1976, Rapp was, at age five, probably the youngest ham in the US--if not the world--Ed). This club is also an ARRL Education and Technology Program pilot school. The club now has ten members, including two Technician licensees. About half of them are regulars at club meetings, and three local hams often stop by to help with the club.
"Transmitter hunting and the associated antenna building seems to be a favorite activity," Rapp says. "I suppose that's partly because it's an excuse to drive. But, it's also something very different to try, and they really enjoy it."
Working in conjunction with the Bloomington Amateur Radio Club and the local Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) organization, the club also participates in public service events.
WB9VPG's advice to other school radio clubs is: "Don't push the license testing up front. Give them an opportunity to 'get hooked' first. Let them know that you can listen to fast food drive up windows and talk to people around the world. Let them work the radios. Then push the test."
Student Nicole Aubin, who's not yet licensed, says she likes meeting people within her school as well as talking to people in other countries. Learning Morse code has been her favorite experience, she says, because the students sometimes come up with gibberish before realizing what the Morse message was supposed to say.
"Another very interesting time is when we talked to the Buddy Holly W5B special event station, and I got to talk to the person for a good five minutes," Aubin said. "Our sponsor then told me that it is very rare to get anyone from a special event station to have a real conversation. I was very impressed."
Aubin says she's "most definitely" having fun. "The sponsor is an awesome person, and I have gotten to know him really well and at the same time learned a ton of things from him."
Katie Hawkins, KC9FFB, enjoys learning how to use radios and build antennas. Her best experience with the club was passing her Technician exam.
Club member Zach Hart says his favorite thing about the radio
club is being able to talk to people in other states and countries. The neatest
thing he's learned is how to operate the radio.
 (L-R) Pete Jordahl, K5GM, and his wife; LBJ Radio Club President Noah Kalish, KD5VDO; LBJ Radio Club Sponsor Ronny Risinger, KC5EES. Pete donated the tower in the pickup to the LBJ High School Amateur Radio Club. [Jeff Furr Photo] |
LBJ High School Amateur Radio Club
The LBJ High School Amateur Radio Club in Austin, Texas, has been an ARRL ETP pilot school since January. The school, which hosts the Liberal Arts and Sciences Academy of Austin magnet program, had an active club some years ago, but as students graduated, it became inactive.
Inspired by Noah Kalish, KD5VDO, a student and Amateur Extra class licensee, social studies teacher Ronny Risinger, KC5EES, a ham for 10 years, soon became the sponsor of the LBJ High School Amateur Radio Club, now K5LBJ--a vanity call sign only recently granted.
"We are excited about a call sign that is truly ours," Risinger said. "We look forward to this new adventure. Amateur Radio is a great way to learn electronics and a hobby that will last a lifetime."
In March, the ARRL ETP equipment arrived, including a transceiver, power supply and two antennas. The growing club was very excited about the new equipment, and several members already had their licenses. As of April, the ETP-provided antennas were in the process of being assembled. In the meantime, the students built one of their own, a G5RV--102 feet long and fed in the middle with a balanced feed line. With their antenna in place, the kids now are on the air and routinely talk to people coast to coast on 20 meters. The club currently has six licensed students.
Risinger finds that the students enjoy "tinkering"--including such activities as building and testing their own antennas. "Also, the ability to use PSK31 to make DX contacts is quite exciting for the club," he said.
Kalish tells of the time when he came across a house in his neighborhood sporting multiple ham radio antennas. Its owner, Judy DeWitt, happened to come outside while he was standing there. She explained that her husband Tom DeWitt, W5TD, had died last year. After discussing her husband's love of ham radio and learning of the LBJ Amateur Radio Club, Mrs DeWitt agreed to donate all of her husband's antennas and several towers to the club.
Risinger praised the Austin Amateur Radio Club for "Elmering" the club. Initiated by Roger Wines, W5WIA, the Austin ham community really began to work with LBJ, he says. At present, Jerry Jackson, N5UJ, and Joe Fisher, K5EJL, are working with Risinger to provide technical assistance to the LBJ club.
Risinger's advice to other school radio clubs is: "Do not be afraid to start small and simple! A few members with handheld transceivers or an HF rig with a G5RV antenna are all you need," he says. "Reach out to the community. Our local ham community has provided some excellent Elmers. Also, the Austin Office of Emergency Management has involved our school in their CERT [Community Emergency Response Teams] program. This allows for some great training. Finally, do not be afraid to ask for things. For example, Icom was wonderful in donating a power cord for our radio. Also, silent keys are living on through the LBJ Club, which puts their equipment to use."
Kalish says that through the ham radio club, students are
learning from each other despite their varied backgrounds--because they have a
common interest in Amateur Radio. "It is also great to be able to know of some
hams your own age; it helps defeat the stereotype of the typical ham," he
added.
 Members of the North Hills High School Amateur Radio Club set up for Field Day 2002. |
 All-night bowling is a social activity for North Hills High School ARC members. |
North Hills High School Amateur Radio and Electronics Club
The North Hills High School Amateur Radio and Electronics Club in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has existed since 1997, and it has held the call sign K3NHC for about three years. Tenth-grade biology teacher Mike Benko, K3NH, is the club's sponsor. He says he "reels students in" by showing an Amateur Radio videotape and introducing some of the club officers to his classes on the first day of school.
To attract new members, the club sponsors open houses and activities such as all-night bowling, laser tag and other events--which help give present and prospective members a chance get acquainted.
The club now boasts 41 members--13 of the licensed, and it placed third in the 2003 ARRL School Club Roundup. The club also participates in local Amateur Radio-related public service events, sells ticket protectors at Dayton Hamvention as a fundraiser, holds "DX nights" and participates in Field Day.
The .275 Youth Group
The .275 Youth Group, an informal "rag chew" group, has announced plans to begin meeting Saturdays at 9 PM Eastern on 7.275 MHz (±10 kHz to avoid broadcasters and other QRM) starting July 10. The net is aimed at encouraging younger amateurs to use HF and to just get to know each other. Anyone who is young or just "young at heart" is invited to check in, and third-party checkins are welcome. Net control stations will work with younger and less-experienced hams and assist them by answering questions and providing operating tips.
The .275 Youth Group is the result of a year's planning and much discussion among three young hams. Charles King, KG4KCT, will be the primary net control operator, while Neil Smith, N5EIL, is Webmaster and Timothy Little, W8LBO, is the net's contact person.
To the timid young ham, the three founding operators say: "Don't
worry if you're new to radio. We all start somewhere. And don't get embarrassed
if you goof up."
 IRLP 4 Kids Net Control Station Stephen Slider, KG4PTO. [Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM, Photo] |
Stephen Slider, KG4PTO, and my younger sister Laura were among the young people attending the Atlanta Hamfest June 5 in Marietta, Georgia. Slider is the net control station of the IRLP 4 Kids Net. This was a first hamfest visit for Laura, 11, who's studying for her Technician ticket. (She wore a pink badge that said, "Laura, Sister of KG4IUM" and a shirt that said, "Future Ham Radio Operator in Training.")
 (L-R) Laura Hartlage; Scott Hartlage, KF4PWI; Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM (your editor). [Norm Schklar, WA4ZXV, Photo] |
But most of all, get involved. No excuses!
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this column. If you know of any youth who are involved in weather spotting, storm chasing, or emergency communications, please contact me. Have a wonderful summer, and don't forget to tell me about your Kid's Day and Field Day experiences.
Editor's Note:
Fifteen-year-old Extra-class operator and ARES Member Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM,
resides in Grayson, Georgia. Her Amateur Radio activities include public service,
kit building, hamfesting and operating SSB, CW and digital modes. Amateurs with
youth-related news and photos are invited to contact Andrea via
e-mail with the subject line "Youth Column."
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