Young ARRL Award Winners Energize Georgia Youth Forum

Youth Forum keynoter: ARRL Rocky Mountain Vice Director-elect Brian Mileshosky shows off his ARDF gear at the Georgia State Convention's Youth Forum.

NEWINGTON, CT, Nov 10, 2004--Those who fret about the future of Amateur Radio would have found reason for optimism during the Georgia State Convention November 6-7 in Lawrenceville. The popular hamfest, which draws a big crowd from all over the Peach State and from other parts of the Southeastern US as well, this year played host to two of the country's most-honored young radio amateurs: Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM, a 2003 ARRL Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Award winner (Jay Thompson, W6JAY, was the other winner), and Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT, an earlier HPM Award recipient and soon to be the League's youngest-ever division vice director.

All smiles: (L-R) ARRL Senior News Editor Rick Lindquist, N1RL, ARRL Southeastern Division Director Frank Butler, W4RH, and 2003 HPM Award Winner Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM.

"Amateur Radio is not just a hobby but can set you on a lifelong path of enjoyment and even a career," Mileshosky told the convention's Youth Forum November 6. He should know. Although barely 25, Mileshosky, who's from Albuquerque, New Mexico, will assume the office of ARRL Rocky Mountain Division Vice Director on January 1.

Currently continuing his formal education in electrical engineering at Georgia Tech's graduate school, Mileshosky--the featured speaker at the Youth Forum Hartlage organized--says it was his interest in ham radio that guided his career path. An Eagle Scout, Mileshosky says scouting also was a big influence on him and a factor in sparking his interest in ham radio.

Mileshosky encouraged young radio amateurs to seek leadership positions starting at the club level. During his talk, he covered various aspects of ham radio that have appealed to him since he first got his license while a young teen, including DXing, contesting, ham satellites and experimenting. One of his favorite interests, he told his young audience, is Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF), for which, he pointed out, no amateur license is needed. Youngsters at the convention got a chance, some working with more-experienced supervision, to DF a hidden transmitter--or "fox"--as part of a scavenger hunt Hartlage had arranged for younger attendees.

Just hanging: Young radio amateurs and visitors gather in the youth lounge. Standing next to Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM, is her dad, Scott, KF4PWI.

"There's a lot to do in ham radio," Mileshosky said, "and while it can be intimidating at first, every ham started out in much the same way when they were younger."

Mileshosky and Hartlage have quite a bit in common. Both are Amateur Extra class licensees in addition to being HPM Award winners--Mileshosky was honored with the 1999 award--as well as recipients of the Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award. Mileshosky was selected in 1997, while Hartlage received the YHOTY award this year. In June 2003, Hartlage succeeded Mileshosky as contributing editor of the "Youth@HamRadio.Fun" Web column.

ARRL Senior News Editor Rick Lindquist, N1RL, invited Mileshosky to share the stage as he presented Hartlage with the 2003 HPM Award plaque. The award also carries a $1500 stipend, which Hartlage, a high school sophomore, used to buy a new laptop computer. In addition to her awards, ARRL Georgia Section Manager Susan Swiderski, AF4FO, has named Hartlage as Assistant Section Manager for Youth. Hartlage also has done youth presentations at Dayton Hamvention.

Andrea the Elmer: Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM guides eight-year-old Holly through an HF QSO at special event station W4Y, while Dave Adanich, K8WDJ, looks on.

In her Youth Forum presentation, Hartlage told about how her father, Scott, KF4PWI, and her early Field Day experiences inspired her interest in Amateur Radio. She took her first stab at passing the Technician examination at the tender age of eight. Although she didn't succeed then, it wasn't too much longer before she earned her license and began advancing through the ranks.

"I often joke about having thousands of parents via ham radio," she said, referring to not just those who have mentored her in person but veteran radio amateurs she's met on the air and those with whom she's worked on various projects and activities. Hartlage also spoke of the "fun activities" she's discovered through ham radio, including involvement in public service activities, and of "lifelong friendships" she's developed within the amateur community. Amateur Radio also has helped her with school, she said.

She advised the older generations of radio amateurs to become mentors--or Elmers--and not just help youngsters get licensed but to stay in touch with them after they've got their tickets to guide them in getting on the air or becoming involved in the various aspects of ham radio. Mutual respect was another point she stressed. "Adults should deal with younger hams as peers," she suggested.

To her youthful audience, which included children as young as eight, Hartlage exhorted, "Go forth and build a radioactive youth!"

A roundtable discussion on youth involvement in Amateur Radio followed the formal presentations.

Smile! The convention's Youth Forum featured an enthusiastic audience.

Youth Lounge

Hartlage established a "youth lounge" in one corner of the main building at the convention as a gathering spot for the younger attendees. The area included not only snacks, drinks, ham radio presentations and information but served as the home of the W4Y ("Watch for Youth") special event station. Mileshosky said the youth lounge and its "awesome activities" especially impressed him.

"I've personally not seen a youth lounge at any other hamfest I've been to and have not seen so many youth at a youth forum except for the last time I was at Dayton," he remarked later.

In addition to helping to oversee the various youth activities, Hartlage took time to guide several younger visitors to the youth lounge through their first Amateur Radio HF contacts.

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