Contact
Nancy Austin, KC1NEK
Email: [email protected]
Free Student ARRL memberships & Revitalizing Student Clubs
From the December 31, 2023 Section Manager Newletter:
- Another recommended priority program focus is on revitalizing now-inactive clubs at Rhode Island superb colleges and universities. The ARRL’s Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, Director of Marketing and Innovation, is doing remarkable things in this space, and we welcome opportunities to collaborate (- And we have the teams identified and ready to take action.) Future postings will share more about the ARRL’s CARP initiative. “Since the ARRL Collegiate Amateur Radio Program (CARP) was established in 2017, we’ve been growing our community of participating students and ham radio clubs at colleges and universities. CARP holds monthly Zoom meetups and makes connections through our CARP Facebook group and Discord.” See for example: https://www.hamcation.com/forums-speaker-info?event=71 and https://www.arrl.org/collegiate-amateur-radio
From the January 31,2024 Section Manager Newletter:
- Lots of opportunities coming together to support youth and young adult outreach across RI.
- The ARRL Letter for January 25, 2024 announced the Board has authorized a new, free ARRL membership for students. “For decades, ARRL has offered a reduced dues rate for young hams [Under age 26], currently priced at $30 per year. At this meeting, the Board established a new option for a no-cost Associate membership for full-time students aged 21 and younger.”
Collegiate Club revitalization is underway at Brown University (K1AD) and the University of Rhode Island (W1KMV). CCRI (WA1ABC) is listed here, but curious to learn more. What about Roger Williams University and Rhode Island College? Johnson & Wales? RISD? Salve? Please reach out if you have the time to get involved helping rebuild mometum. Especially seeking students and a mentoring team of alum, faculty, and staff. Please contact the RI Section Affiliated Club Coordinator: John Brewer, N1SXB.
Profiles in Radio
As a curious 13-year old, Rhode Islander Chris Lirakis joined the ARRL and now a half-century later is a Quantum Two Systems Engineer for IBM and ham operator, Chris AA9AL. He was recently interviewed at the FabNewport Maker Space and wanted to be sure everyone got the message:
“Ham radio is a gateway to technology”
Dr. Lirakis is still walking the talk after 50 years as an ARRL member.
North Kingstown High School student Ryan Lukowicz, KC1KUF is a RI State House Page learning the mechanics and negotiation tactics required to get laws enacted. An enthusiastic ham licensed since 2019, Ryan KC1KUF was just named an ARRL RI Section – Assistant State Government Liaison – Intern.
This experiential learning opportunity will prepare Ryan KC1KUF for a planned college major in policy, including laws that impact Amateur Radio and the future of communication and mobility. Or maybe loop back in to his interest in weather, Skywarn and meterology? All relevant ways to explore possible future career options in the Ocean State’s Blue Economy and our changing climate.
(Left: Ryan KC1KUF and his “Elmer” Bob Beatty, WB4SON operating SSB at the 2021 NCRC Field Day. Right: Ryan was appointed as a RI State House Page in 2022 at age 15.)
Another career pathway that leads through Amateur Radio is the field of marine electronics.
Jaylen O’Neill is a recent Rogers High School graduate now working with Adam Hobgood, K1OCD in maintaining electronics on high-end private and commercial vessels. Jaylen is studying to get an amateur radio license and will be teaching lithium battery tech to Newport’s Rogers student this fall. Shown here with fellow radio/IT friend since high school, Mac Cullen, K6MAC – now at the USNA in Annapolis.
Evan Bowen, K1GEA joined the Newport County Radio Club in 2015 as a teen and operated at Field Day for many years – when he wasn’t safely piloting the Block Island Ferry as its Captain.
Evan K1GEA went on to attend the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and today uses radio communication daily in his career with the Military Sealift Command. A true Rhode Islander, he continues to belong to his hometown local radio club, the Newport County Radio Club.
What sets Amateur Radio apart? Hands-on experiential learning in a welcoming growth mindset community of practice where people of all ages learn something new every day. Sharing their failures and successes and getting tips on what to try next. All while helping others.
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)
“What do thunderstorms look like from outer space?” “Do you ever get claustrophobic in the ISS?” “What did the Leonid meteor shower look like from the space station?” “Why did you want to become an astronaut?” “What is your diet like in space?” “Can we talk to you only when you are above us?”
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) inspires students worldwide. Participating in an amateur radio QSO with the on-orbit crew of the International Space Station (ISS) motivates many to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. Students learn about life on board the ISS and explore Earth from space through science and math activities. ARISS provides opportunities for the school community (students, teachers, families and community members) to become more aware of the substantial benefits of human spaceflight and the exploration and discovery that occur on spaceflight journeys. [https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/ and https://www.ariss.org/
Interested in learning more about hosting an ARISS Scheduled Contact? https://www.ariss.org/apply-to-host-an-ariss-contact.html
RI Club hosted ARISS contacts 2016 – 2018
2016 – NCRC & Middletown, RI STEAM Academy
Unforgettable Newport County Radio Club (NCRC) youth outreach mentoring All Saints Academy radio club. A highlight of this ongoing collaboration was the May 2016 milestonr ARISS contact. This made ASA the first school in Rhode Island — and one of only six schools in the country — to make contact with the International Space Station.
At least two Middle School RI teens who participated in this ARISS contact continue to be active hams.
ARRL member Mac Cullen, K6MAC earned his Technician Class license in 2011 and upgraded to Extra in 2023. On a recent holiday break from his math/operations research studies at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, Mac K6MAC made his first-ever CW contact during ARRL’s Straight Key Night on January 1, 2024. He participates with the USNA’s recently re-launched radio club W3ADO and is on target to be commissioned as an U.S. Navy ensign in 2025. The Morse Code key was last used by his dad Mike K1NPT (formerly Novice Class callsign WN6LQQ) in 1972.
2017 – Bishop Hendricken
2018 – NCRC with Pell Elementary School, Newport RI
ARRL School Club Roundup
February 12-16, 2024 and October 21-25, 2024
Recent participants and scores: https://contests.arrl.org/scrresults.php?cn=scroct
Objective: To exchange QSO information with club stations that are part of an elementary, middle, high school or college. Non-school clubs and individuals are encouraged to participate. Sponsored by the ARRL and and the Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club (LIMARC) to foster contacts with and among school radio clubs. Award certificates will be issued for the following US and DX categories:
Schools: Elementary, Middle/Intermediate/Junior High School, High School and College/University
Non-school Clubs
Individuals
See https://www.arrl.org/school-club-roundup for more information.
See also: https://ri-arrl.org/ri-section-newsletter-2024-01-31/#ARRL_School_Roundup_February_12-16_2024
Jose KC1TWM and the Brown Amateur Radio Club revitalization team will participate in the upcoming ARRL School Roundup February 12-16, with details to follow. The team’s February goal is to spread awareness about the club relaunch and build a membership base ready to be recognized (again) as an active Official Brown student club in Fall 2024. Jose’s mission is to have enough identified student talent as the core of a competitive Brown team ready to show up for the October 2024 ARRL School Roundup.
It will be great to see our RI Section hams step up to help with outreach and mentoring across Rhode Island’s many colleges and Middle/High Schools. You do not need to be an official school club to participate in the School Roundup. Go for it! Help others Get On the Air.
ARRL Kids Day
January 6, 2024 and June 15, 2024
[Generally the first Saturday in January, and the third Saturday in June, see the ARRL Contest Calendar for current Kids Day event dates at https://www.arrl.org/contest-calendar]Twice a year, ARRL offers an event known as Kids Day designed to promote Amateur Radio to our youth. Share the excitement with your kids or grandkids, a Scout troop, a church or the general public. Kids Day is designed to give on-the-air experience to young people and hopefully foster interest in getting a license of their own. It is also intended to give older hams a chance to share their station and love for Amateur Radio with their children. [ARRLWeb]
Scouts – Jamboree On The Air (JOTA)
Dates: October 2024
When Scouts want to meet young people from another country, they usually think of attending a World Jamboree. But few people realize that each year more than a million Scouts and Guides “get together” over the airwaves for the annual Jamboree-on-the-Air (JOTA).
JOTA is the largest Scouting event in the world. It is held annually the third full weekend in October. JOTA uses amateur radio to link Scouts and hams around the world, around the nation, and in your own community. This jamboree requires no travel, other than to a nearby amateur radio operator’s ham shack. Many times you can find the hams will come to you by setting up a station at your Scout camporee, at the park down the block, or perhaps at a ham shack already set up at your council’s camp. [scouting.org]
Scouts of any age can participate, from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts and Venturers, including girls. Once at the ham radio station, the communication typically involves talking on a microphone and listening on the station speakers. However, many forms of specialized communication may also be taking place, such as video communication, digital communication (much like sending a message on your smartphone but transmitted by radio), or communication through a satellite relay or an earth-based relay (called a repeater). The exchanges include such information as name, location (called QTH in ham speak), Scout rank, age, and hobbies. The stations you’ll be communicating with can be across town, across the country, or even around the world! The World Scout Bureau reported that the 2016 JOTA had nearly 1.3 million Scout participants from more than 30,000 locations, and reached 156 countries. [ARRLWeb]
STEM Learning Resources for Youth 10-18
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New England Sci-Tech Resources
- See the remote learning resouces available at New England Sci-Tech (outside Boston and online).
- Their ARRL Affiliated Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society (STARS) club offers Technician licensing study classes for youth 10-18.
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Adafruit Industries
Winner of the November 2023 GitHub Hardware Hacker Award
