Free money for college, nominating a deserving young amateur for a national award, and experiencing JOTA.

Scholarship and Award Deadlines Loom

It's time once again to sharpen your pencils (does anyone still do that?) and file those scholarship applications and award nominations. Here are some of the awards and scholarships offered, listed in deadline order:

• ARRL Foundation Scholarships

  The ARRL Foundation administers several scholarships earmarked for young, college-bound hams. A complete list of scholarships, eligibility requirements and an application form is available on the ARRL Web site.

  Applications and transcripts for 2005-2006 academic year must be postmarked no later than February 1, 2005. Send application packages to The ARRL Foundation, Scholarship Program, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111.

• ARRL Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Award

  The ARRL invites nominations of exceptional young Amateur Radio operators for the ARRL Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Award. Nominations are due to ARRL section managers by March 31, 2005. The HPM Award goes each year to an enthusiastic and active amateur licensee aged 21 or younger whose contributions to Amateur Radio and to the community are of the most exemplary nature.

  An ideal nominee may be involved in recruiting new hams through demonstrations as well as by example to his or her peers; on the air and/or public service activities; employing technical ingenuity to further Amateur Radio; public relations activities; and organizations on a local, state or national level. The HPM Award winner receives an engraved plaque and a check for $1500.

  Complete information is available on the ARRL Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Award Web page, which includes a link to the nomination form. Those nominating HPM Award candidates should include their contact information and forward the form to their ARRL Section Manager. Section managers also may nominate young hams for this award. For additional information, contact Jean Wolfgang, WB3IOS at ARRL Headquarters.

• Foundation For Amateur Radio Solicits Scholarship Applications

  The Foundation for Amateur Radio Inc (FAR) plans to administer more than 55 scholarships for the 2005-2006 academic year to assist radio amateurs. Awards range from $500 to $2500. FAR invites Amateur Radio licensees planning to pursue a full-time course of study beyond high school and now enrolled in or accepted for enrollment at an accredited university, college or technical school to compete for these scholarships.

  Additional information and an application form is available by sending a letter or QSL card postmarked prior to April 30, 2005, to FAR Scholarships, PO Box 831, Riverdale, MD 20738.

• Local Club Scholarships

  Many local radio clubs also offer scholarships. If you're still looking for financial help for college, see if you're Amateur Radio club offers a scholarship and find out how to apply.

Members of the University High School Radio Club decipher the Morse code on a cake, while Principal Daryl Hart looks on. Club sponsor Stephen Lalonde, WA7WKX, bakes a cake to celebrate each time someone passes an Amateur Radio licensing test. [Photo courtesy of Steve Lalonde, WA7WKX]

Several scouts read up on Amateur Radio while waiting for their turn to make a contact from W1AW.

A couple of anxious scouts try their hand at Amateur Radio from W1AW during JOTA weekend. [Photos courtesy of Mark Spencer, WA8SME]

Barry Keating, WD4MSM assists a group of Webelos scouts at the Michiana Amateur Radio Club's JOTA Station. [Photo courtesy of Barry Keating, WD4MSM]

Everglades Amateur Radio Club President David Knight, KN4F, with a group of Girl Scouts at the club's JOTA operation. [Photo courtesy of Peter Craig, KB4SUF]

University High School Radio Club Hosts Licensing Classes

The University High School Radio Club in Spokane, Washington, sponsored by teacher Steve Lalonde, WA7WKX, has been in existence for approximately 10 years and currently has about 20 young licensees. With the help from about a dozen volunteers from the local ham community, the club has Morse code scavenger hunts, builds radios from scratch and gets on the air. Meetings are once or twice a week, with five to ten students showing up for any given gathering.

The club also holds periodic licensing classes. A class that recently began had six students looking to upgrade and 21 students wanting to earn their Technician tickets.

Lalonde offers this advice to other school radio clubs. "Get as much support from administration and local hams as possible, and look for every opportunity to publicize the successes of the program."

Jamboree On The Air (JOTA)

Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station W1AW was buzzing with activity last October during Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) weekend. More than two dozen local scouts from four participating troops turned out for the event. Along with the experience of getting on the air from W1AW, 23 scouts earned their Radio merit badges.

Several ARRL Headquarters staff members were on hand to assist the scouts. They included W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q; Field Organization/Public Service Team Leader Steve Ewald, WV1X; Regulatory Information Specialist John Hennessee, N1KB; Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH; Development Associate Debra Johnson, KB1LMT; Field and Regulatory Correspondent Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, and Education and Technology Program Coordinator Mark Spencer, WA8SME.

In addition, Ron Cady, K1RKD and Doris Spencer, KF6QKL, members of the Newington Amateur Radio League (NARL) also assisted during the JOTA operations.

The Michiana Amateur Radio Club (MARC) also hosted a successful JOTA operation. Held in conjunction with the Iron Horse Hike at Potato Creek State Park in North Webster, Indiana, 3000 scouts were in attendance. Operators who assisted include Rick Nimtz, N9TJG; Mary Nimtz, N9YHI; Barry Keating, WD4MSM; Dennis Laffin, N9KIX, and Greg High, KF4TAD.

The Everglades Amateur Radio Club in Homestead, Florida participated in JOTA weekend from their club station. Some 30 Girl Scouts were introduced to Amateur Radio during the event.

(L-R) ARRL Rocky Mountain Vice Director Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT; ARRL Senior News Editor (and my boss!) Rick Lindquist, N1RL; and your column editor Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM at the Georgia State Convention. [Scott Hartlage, KF4PWI, Photo]

Excellent Youth Turnout at Georgia State Convention

In our last column, we previewed the youth activities for the Georgia State Convention in Lawrenceville. All of the advance promotion must have paid off, because the event, which took place last November 6-7, turned out to be quite a success. In fact, plans are already being made to expand and enhance youth activities at this year's hamfest (November 5-6 for you advance planners).

At the 2004 hamfest, young people were seen wandering around with handheld receivers and large antennas in search of the fox, an enthusiastic group of young hams and hams-to-be turned out for the Youth Forum and smiles were seen on young faces everywhere you looked.

Working out of the Youth Lounge, youngsters participated in an Amateur Radio scavenger hunt and the fox hunt, and some even tried their hand (or voices) at working the W4Y (Watch for Youth!) special event station.

Of course, refreshments, Amateur Radio information brochures, and promotional videos helped to draw attention to the Youth Lounge. At least 20 young people passed through at one time or another during the weekend--and those are just the ones who signed in.

The Youth Forum was another overwhelming success, with about two dozen young people and several not-so-young folks in attendance. ARRL Rocky Mountain Division Vice-Director Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT, my predecessor as editor of this column, gave an excellent presentation about what Amateur Radio has meant to him and can offer youth.

After a brief "icebreaker" activity in between presentations, we had a good roundtable discussion about youth and Amateur Radio. Some excellent ideas were tossed around about how to get more youth involved in Amateur Radio, and a few people even took notes.

Thank you to everyone who made the youth activities possible! For a more extensive article about the hamfest and more pictures from the event, see "Young ARRL Award Winners Energize Georgia Youth Forum," by ARRL Senior News Editor Rick Lindquist, N1RL.

Alabama Assistant Section Manager for Youth Activities Rebekah Dorff, WG4Y, with some of the toys she collected for kids in South Alabama affected by Hurricane Ivan.

Alabama SM Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, with ASM for Youth Activities Rebekah Dorff, WG4Y. [Photos courtesy of Greg Sarratt, W4OZK]

ASM for Youth Conducts Holiday Toy Drive for Alabama

ARRL Alabama Section Manager Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, reports that his ARRL Assistant Section Manager for Youth Activities Rebekah Dorff, WG4Y, conducted a toy drive for Alabama children left in the destruction and devastation path of Hurricane Ivan.

"The Toy Drive was a success, donations poured in for all over Alabama," he reports. Dorff and many of her new friends helped to make the holiday season a little better for children in South Alabama left in the path of Hurricane Ivan.

On December 18, Dorff took two pickup truck loads of donated toys to Baldwin County. Several club members from the Baldwin county Amateur Radio Club joined in helping to unload the toys. Later that afternoon, the group took a tour of devastated Orange Beach.

Amateur Radio Kid's Web site

Thanks to Bob Hejl, W2IK, for letting me know about his BEAR (Be Excited About Radio) Web site. Be sure to check it out if you're interested in reading more about youth and Amateur Radio.

Winter Reading List

• Nothing Like "Zero G," Astronaut Tells Youngsters in Ireland (Dec 22, 2004)
• Feature: The Amateur Radio Crossword Puzzler (Dec 18, 2004) -- "Presents of Mind"
• Prime Minister's Wife on Hand for ARISS School Group QSO (Dec 14, 2004)
• Space Chats Exhilarate Long Island, Quebec Schools (Dec 9, 2004)
• Feature: The Amateur Radio Crossword Puzzler (Dec 4, 2004)
• ISS Expedition 10 Commander Breaks In New Ticket with School Group Contact
• Feature: The Amateur Radio Crossword Puzzler (Nov 13, 2004) -- "Beso Del Sol"
• Young ARRL Award Winners Energize Georgia Youth Forum (Nov 10, 2004)

Remember to...

• Check into the Echo Link Connecticut Amateur Radio League of Youth (CARLY) Net--Sundays at 7:00 PM Eastern Time on the K3KID-L link.

• Try the ARRL Youth Sked Database to set up on-air schedules with other young hams.

• Visit the North American Youth Net (NAYN) on Fridays from 23:00 to 23:30 UTC on 14.329 MHz.

• Visit the IRLP New Ham Trivia Net, which takes place on a linked 440 repeater system in Southern California and on IRLP Node 3500. Check in with NCS Brandon Umbarger, KG6NMQ, Fridays. 7 PM Pacific Time.

• Try checking into the IRLP 4 Kids Net, which meets on IRLP Reflector 9205, at 0100 UTC each Saturday.

• Look for other youth on subchannel 06 of the 9600 IRLP Reflector. Philadelphia IRLP Reflector owner, Vic Tenaglia, N3IO, was kind enough to invite Amateur Radio's youth to use the reflector for youth communications.

• Check in with the ". 275 Youth Group", an informal "rag chew" group, on Saturdays, at 9:00 PM Eastern, on 7.275 MHz or +/- 10 KHz.

New to Amateur (Ham) Radio?

1. Explore the Web site (this one!) of ARRL--the National Association for Amateur Radio. There's lots here, like the Harmonics (Youth) Web page.
2. Take practice Amateur Radio tests on the QRZ.com or eHam.net Web sites.
3. Read previous Youth@HamRadio.Fun columns.
4. Find a local radio club.
5. Attend a local hamfest (Amateur Radio convention).

But most of all, get involved. No excuses!

Final Comments

Thank you to everyone who continues to contribute to this column. Be sure to share any information about youth-related news or events with me. I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday. Have a safe and happy new year! 73 until next time.

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."

Previous: ARRL Rebuts Denial of Interference from BPL Trial, Decries FCC Inaction

Next: The Spirit of Embracement