Youth
Youth activities in the section
Northeastern Wireless Club “Yagi Build” a “Fantastic Success”
Jonah Lefkoff writes on the Northeastern Wireless mailing list:
Yesterday’s workshop was a fantastic success. We built a ton of awesome tape measure yagi antennas, and learned a bit about impedance matching and soldering along the way. This Thursday we’ll be using them in a fox hunt around campus. I look forward to a fun night of searching for hidden transmitters!
Next week we begin our adventure towards developing a full PCB. It all starts with schematic capture, a critical component of the electrical design process. I hope to see you all there.
Cheers,
Jonah Lefkoff, KFØINO
KF0INO
StratoScience Lab Balloon Launches, New England Sci-Tech, Natick, August 14, 2024
- Solar Tracking Rotator (Roy Y.)
- Spectroscopy Sensor (Timmy B.)
- Servo Heating System (Elias D.)
- IMU Recorder and Downward Camera (Ewoud V.)
- BFCCPS Humidity Sensor Experiment (NEWBS / BFCCPS School)
- RunCam Split 4 Selfie Camera (Seth K. / NEWBS)
- Tiny4FSK (Max K. / NEWBS) – 432.620 MHz
- RS41 (Max K. / NEWBS) – 432.625 MHz
- [maybe] Test version of altitude-based rocket igniter board (Dawid F.)
- Autonomous Glider (Charlie N.)
- Planned separation at ~1600m
- Also contains a Tiny4FSK (Max K. / NEWBS) – 432.630 MHz
- RS41 (Max K. / NEWBS) – 432.635 MHz
- RunCam Split 4 Downward Camera (Seth K. / NEWBS)
Amateur Radio Presentation to Middle Schoolers, Mass Maritime, July 15, 2024
Lem Skidmore, W1LEM, writes on the Barnstable ARC mailing list:
We will present from 6 PM to about 7 PM, then do Q&A and demonstration. We will be on 2m (both the BARC 146.955 repeater, and the FARA 147.375 repeater as well as HF on 10m on 28.300 and upwards, depending on band activity, and 20m 14.225 and upwards. We should be on from about 7 PM to about 8 PM .
Please look for W1MA on the air. We did this last year and the students loved it. In particular, the female students enjoyed talking with Shannon, K1WIT, on VHF, so it would be great if some of our women members could join us.
W1HUD Hudson High School Updates
W1HUD Update: April 2024
- The Hudson High School Facilities installed a Diamond Vertical on the roof to complement the 18 ft tall Hy-Gain 5-band vertical antenna. Collectively we now have HF/VHF/UHF coverage. – Thank you to Facilities! A special thanks to W1TF for his generosity for needed parts and N1CNG for testing.
- AARC – Kicked offed the Technician License Prep course. We have have a very excited group taking part and look forward to taking the test at the end of the year.
- Spring – Fox Hunt Equipment – Special thanks to KV1J for organizing the equipment list and Hudson Home and School Association for purchasing the materials.
- Reminder W1HUD is on the Marlborough Repeater 446.675 every Friday 9:40-10:15. We typically discuss weekly topics and jump on around 10am. – Join us!
W1HUD Update: May 2024
- AARC – Is wrapping up the very first Technician License Prep Course. We have three students looking forward to taking their test some time this Summer.
- The First W1HUD Fox Hunt – Special thanks to AARC for organizing a successful Fox Hunt. The students had a great time working with AARC and HHS Volunteers to learn about the technology and techniques needed to find a low frequency transmitter on the HHS campus.
- The club will get together will get together one last time for the 23-24 school year on Friday 6/7 – Reminder W1HUD will likely be on the Marlborough Repeater 446.675 around 10am. – Join us!
“Going the extra mile: the radio operators who connect all 26.2 miles of the Boston Marathon”
Members of the Northeastern Univ. Wireless Club were featured in the Northeastern student newspaper for their work at Monday’s Boston Marathon:
“Early in the morning April 15, thousands of volunteers and athletes began to check-in and start the race that constitutes one of the biggest days in sports: the Boston Marathon. Among them were a cadre of unseen — but vital — amateur radio operators who kept a constant loop of communications for the duration of the race.”
[Full story]Barnstable ARC To Begin Girl Scout Outreach Initiative
Lem Skidmore, W1LEM, writes on the Barnstable ARC mailing list:
As I mentioned at the BARC Membership meeting last Monday, we are beginning to work with Girls Scouts on the Cape.
Our focus will be the ARRL Radio and Wireless Technology Patch Program and World Thinking Day on the Air
Both programs are naturals for introducing STEM topics, which are a focus for Girl Scouts.
With 10 troops on the Cape, we need a lot of support for this program. Anyone interested in this initiative would be a great asset. In particular, we would like to invite women and anyone with Girl Scout experience, including those with daughters or granddaughters in Girl Scouts
BARC’s Girl Scout Programs Liaison is Mary Jo, KC1TNF (mayjocrna@comcast.net).
Please contact Mary Jo or me if you are interested or would like more information.
—
73, Lem W1LEM
New England Sci-Tech Hosts Lexington Boy Scout Troop
Seventeen boys and girls from the Lexington BSA scouts participated in a three-hour program at New England Sci-Tech in Natick toward their radio merit badge, electronics merit badge, and amateur radio license.
For two groups over two weekends, Jon Lyna, George Lyna, Rusty Moore, K1FVK, and Bob Phinney, K5TEC, led radio and electronics activities. Scout leader John Aldridge created the curriculum which he and Bob plan to make a regular program for scout activities at New England Sci-Tech.
Battery Talk at Northeastern University Wireless Club, November 9, 2023
Marty Sullaway, NN1C, writes on the NUWC mailing list:
This Thursday we will have a fun presentation on everything you’d ever want to know about batteries. Our in-house battery whiz Zach Perry will be giving us a look under the hood, and providing useful into and battery tips. Don’t miss it! We won’t let anything go up in smoke. As a reminder, If you would like to sit for an amateur radio exam session, we just announced two more dates; November 13th and 20th, both at 7:00 PM at 503 Hayden Hall. Please sign up here.That’s all I have for this week!Marty Sullaway, NN1CPresident, NUWC
RadioCraft a Big Hit at “Geek is Glam” Girl Scout Event
Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, shared on the New England Sci-Tech mailing list:
Mike Radz writes:
Dear Colleagues:
I have attached seven pictures from the “Geek is Glam” Girl Scout event held at WPI this past Saturday. My IQP team staffed a booth and offered the girls two STEM/HAM related activities: Morse code and Minecraft.
The former activity utilized Morse code kits from NEST as well as some circuitry built by the students that enabled the Girl Scouts to see the letters associated with the dots and dashes they tapped show up on a computer screen (this shown in the pics).
The later activity utilized a new “mod” that has been created for Minecraft that enables a player to build a HAM radio communication network within the game. It is in beta testing mode right now, but the WPI kids contacted the creator and arranged to get a copy to showcase at the event.
Finally, the kids created a QR code that took each Girl Scout to a survey instrument at which they could specify which activity they preferred. I have not yet seen the survey results, but the WPI kids will develop a “curriculum” based on the most popular activity and test to see whether or not it statistically influences youngsters to re-evaluate their views on STEM in a positive way.
Cheers.
Mike Radz
[The Minecraft radio mod “RadioCraft” made its official debut at the 2023 Northeast HamXposition. -K9HI]
New England Sci-Tech Starts Wireless Engineering Club
Seth Kendall, KC1PZY, writes on the stars-radio mailing list:
We are looking for mentors/volunteers to help out with the new Wireless Engineering Club on Saturday mornings 10:00-11:30am. Please let us know if you have any interest in participating!
The “Wireless Engineering Club” is a new club at New England Sci-Tech meant to attract youth and prospective hams into the hobby of Ham Radio. The club will meet every other Saturday morning, a time that tends to work well for families, and will be focused around build workshops and practical, hands-on radio activities. We’d like to use this club to bring in new hams, especially youth, and further grow the amateur radio community here at NEST.
We are interested in three kinds of volunteers:
- Helpers
- Workshop Leaders
- Outreach
For Helpers: Pick one or more workshops to come in and help out for. If we get lots of members, we’ll need lots of Elmers to help people troubleshoot, experiment, and have fun.
For Workshop Leaders: Pick one of the topics from our brainstorm list and volunteer to lead a 90 minute workshop on that topic. The more hands on, the better. We’re looking for activities over lectures. Even better, volunteer your own workshop. We need content, so anyone who’d like to put together one or more activities/workshops, please let us know. They’re meant to be beginner level. This is an ideal chance to help grow the ham radio community and bring in youth, but it’ll only work with participation from us in the community.
Outreach: Know any recently licensed youth or youth with a general interest in electronics and science? Spread the word about the club to communities you know! Adults are welcome and encouraged to join in the workshops and builds as well. Many of them could be of broad interest. I’m attaching a flyer. It looks like this, but if you download the attachment, it will be print resolution.
If you’d like to volunteer, you an either post here or send me an email at sethlkendall@gmail.com. Thanks all.
Jamboree On The Air Event, October 21, 2023
Tom Ulrich, KC1OCY, writes on the Sci-Tech ARS mailing list:
During the weekend of October 21, Scouts from around the world will take part in the 2023 Jamboree on the Air, Scouting’s largest radio event promoting friendship and global citizenship. Scouts from eastern Massachusetts will be on the air on Saturday, October 21, from at least four locations in the area; this spreadsheet has information about units’ station callsigns and operating frequencies. Learn more about JOTA, and see which frequencies are popular with JOTA stations. Help our hobby grow by talking to Scouts on the air!
73,
Tom Ulrich
KC1OCY
JOTA information: https://k2bsa.net/jota/
Scouting/JOTA frequencies: https://k2bsa.net/scout-frequencies/
Eastern Mass unit station information for 2024 JOTA: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1o9kHhJd1mnMHh3RXN9npBNoHxYEDGJ46_MS-_zbI9GY/edit?usp=sharing
ARISS Contact With Covenant Christian Academy, West Peabody, October 13, 2023
From ARISS.org:
October 9, 2023—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at the Covenant Christian Academy (CCA) in West Peabody, MA. ARISS conducts 60-80 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.
CCA is a private school that serves over 430 students, Pre-K through12th grade. To prepare for this ARISS contact CCA integrated space-themed aspects into its STEM program and STEM-related activities. The physics and chemistry students hosted “Space Week” where they put together interactive displays on everything from the physics of black holes, Doppler shift, life on the ISS, to the chemistry of astronaut cuisine. STEM-related activities engaged students in their newly instituted Rocketry Club, Women in STEM Club, and a robotics lab. Amateur radio activities, such as learning about ham radio and radio communications, are being provided during after-school programs by members of area amateur radio clubs.
This ARISS contact will allow students to ask their questions of Astronaut Loral O’Hara, amateur radio call sign KI5TOM. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHz and may be heard by listeners within the ISS footprint that encompasses the amateur radio ground station in West Peabody, MA.
Amateur radio operators using call sign N1DQF will operate this radio station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.
The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for October 13, 2023 at 9:47 am EDT (MA) (13:47 UTC, 9:47 am EDT, 8:47 am CDT, 6:47 am PDT). The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://vimeo.com/event/3761617.
_______________________________
As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What happens with all the trash on the ISS?
2. What is the best part and worst part about living in space?
3. Is the wifi and internet connection better in space?
4. How do you get your supplies delivered to the space station?
5. Do you play games in space? If so, how are they different from the games you play on earth?
6. What is your favorite workout to do for two hours each day to keep your muscles in shape?
7. What has been one of your hardest or scariest moments on the ISS?
8. How do you train your bodies to fall asleep on the ISS since your circadian rhythm can’t be regulated to the earth’s rotation on its axis?
9. Does time feel different on the ISS?
10. Is there any research that you are currently involved in? If so, how does it benefit the earth?
11. What is your favorite meal or snack to eat in outer space?
12. What types of jobs do you do while on the International Space Station?
13. How do you fix the solar panels on the space station?
14. Do you have any animals on the ISS right now? What are they?
15. What happens when someone gets sick on board the ISS?
16. When you come back to earth from space, do you feel the pressure of gravity, and if so, how much does this affect you?
17. What was the most challenging part of your training that prepared you to work on the International
Space Station?
18. What’s the most amazing thing you have seen from space?
19. Has living on the ISS changed any of your perspectives on life?
20. Is all the training, preparation, and hardship you endure to be an astronaut on the ISS worth it?
About ARISS:
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation program (SCaN) and the ISS National Lab—Space Station Explorers.
The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics. ARISS does this by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities take part in hands-on learning activities tied to space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see http://www.ariss.org.
Media Contact:
Dave Jordan, AA4KN
ARISS PR
Find us on social media at:
X: ARISS_Intl
Facebook: facebook.com/ARISSIntl
Instagram: ariss_intl
Mastodon: ariss_intl@mastodon.hams.social
Amateur License Exams Offered at Northeastern Universitiy
Marty Sullaway, NN1C, writes on the Northeastern University Wireless Club mailing list:
I am also excited to announce our upcoming series of amateur radio licensing exams. Each exam session is free for Northeastern Students, and getting your ham radio license looks great on your resume, and is a great proxy for learning electrical engineering skills. Our first exam will be on Oct 2, 2023 followed by another on Oct 16, 2023. Learn more on our website, and please sign up there if you wish to attend. Each will be held at 7:00 PM in 503 Hayden.
Minecraft Ham Radio Mod Unveiled at HamXposition
The Minecraft ham radio mod “RadioCraft” will be introduced at the 2023 Northeast HamXposition / ARRL New England Division Convention in Marlboro, MA, on August 25-27, 2023.
RadioCraft will enable simulation of ham radio in the Minecraft game. Game players will be able to build and operate a variety of radios on HF and VHF, with customizable antennas, and realistic simulations of propagation, QRM and QRN, diurnal solar effects, and band conditions. Eventually the project hopes to simulate the full range of ham radio activities including phone, CW, APRS, VHF repeaters, and even fox hunting.
“There will be a continuous demonstration in the convention center lobby,” writes PART of Westford President George Allison, K1IG. “At 11:00 AM on Saturday we’ll have a one-hour presentation by Lucas (W1BTR) and me in the Sterling Room. The presentation will include a live demo of the program, and we’ll talk about how the mod could affect the growth of ham radio.”
If successful, the RadioCraft project could potentially introduce Amateur Radio to millions of young gamers. Every convention-goer is strongly encouraged to attend the presentation and see what the RadioCraft project has accomplished.
“Our goal is to use this simulation to introduce ham radio to the world-wide Minecraft gaming community and then get them licensed so they can participate in the real-world hobby.”
For more information, visit http://wb1gof.org/RadioCraft/.
HABGab and StratoScience Balloon Launch, Natick, July 2023
Seth Kendall, KC1PZY, writes on July 22, 2023 at 6:27 AM:
HABGab 2023 is officially on for today. We will be launching from:
Tantasqua Vocational Regional High School319 Brookfield Rd, Fiskdale, MA 01518
Frequencies, tracking information, updated countdown, etc:
https://nescitech.org/habgabWe will be starting on site set up at 9am. Launch scheduled for 1pm. We’d love to see you there or hear you on the air!
Also traveling onboard will be a number of student projects by members of the StratoScience Lab class at New England Sci-Tech and BFCCPS school in Franklin, MA.
Please be aware that the date of the event is highly dependent on weather and readiness, so make sure to regularly check the HABGab Launch Page for up to date information about the date and instructions for making contact: https://nescitech.org/habgab.
Sixteen New Amateur Satellites in Orbit From Space-X Transporter 7 Launch
Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, writes on the Sci-Tech ARS mailing list:
[New England Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society] is working with AMSAT to help make a positive ID of these new satellites for inclusion in the AMSAT orbital elements distrubution. If you are so inclined, please listen for any of these new birds and send any observations, i.e. early or late passes based on the Celestrak Two Line element sets described below.Our friends at Libre Space show 16 spacecraft using amateur frequencies on the recent Space-X transporter 7 launch.
https://community.libre.space/t/spacex-f9-transporter-7-2023-04-15-06-47-utc/10255
Celestrak has published element sets derived from Space-X deployment data. See https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/sup-gp.php?FILE=transporter-7&FORMAT=tle
Celestrak also made an attempt to match Space-X derived TLEs to USSF tracked objects: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/transporter.match.txt but I don’t consider that authoritative. Note that RoseyCubesat-1 and INSPIRE-Sat 7 share the same element set which seems strange as I understand that they are two independent spacecraft.
We are particularly interested in INSPIRE-Sat 7. INSPIRE-Sat 7 carries a 435.200 MHz telemetry channel with BPSK mode – GR3UH 9k6 along with an FM transponder and student experiments to be activated after on-orbit checkout.
The following is from https://www.uvsq.fr/inspire-sat-7
“To receive the telemetry, a software has been developed: KissTool . It is available for Windows & Linux:
Linux: https://site.amsat-f.org/download/118791/?tmstv=1680945385
Windows : https://site.amsat-f.org/download/118784/?tmstv=1680945385
The user manual is available in French ( https://site.amsat-f.org/josast-kisstool/ ) and English ( https://code.electrolab.fr/xtof/josast/-/blob/27-new-application-for-spino/ApplicationKissTool/src/site/markdown/UserManual.md ) ”
de KM1P Joe
Beaver Works / MIT Amateur Radio License Class for High Schoolers Begins March 4, 2023
Daniel Sheen, KC1EPN, writes:
The folks over at W1MX have been organizing an amateur radio class for high schoolers with Beaver Works at MIT for the spring. It starts on March 4th and we still have space for more people, I was wondering if any of your members know anyone who might be interested?
The signup link is here: https://mit-bwsi.formstack.com
Thanks.
Barnstable ARC holds Winter Field Day at Scout Camp
From nediv.arrl.org:
Rob Leiden, K1UI, writes:
The Barnstable ARC (BARC) held its first Winter Field Day (WFD) at Boy Scout Camp Greenough in Yarmouth, MA this weekend. The Club and the Boy Scouts are working together to put a permanent amateur radio station at the camp. As part of the close relationship being forged with scouting, BARC (W1MA) set up a 2O station in the camp and manned it around the clock with a dozen volunteers. Since the Administration building was winterized with no heat or water, it was an ideal location for an outdoor experience including temporary heaters and bringing in water. Although the effort was smaller than BARC’s summer Field Day, setting up the antennas and operating in cold weather gave both old timers and newer operators valuable experience. Don, KT1OK (foreground) and Lem, W1LEM were finishing the operation on Sunday afternoon, logging a few last-minute contacts on 15 and 40 meters.
665 contacts were made on 5 bands using emergency power with stations as far away as Hawaii. BARC is taking every opportunity to showcase amateur radio at Camp Greenough that hosts camp outs to scouts from all over Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Winter Field Day continues this effort that began with Jamboree on the Air last Fall and continues with WFD and the removal of trees in preparation for Eversource to install three donated poles for the permanent radio station antenna supports.
New England Sci-Tech Winter Field Day Festivities, January 28, 2023
New England Sci-Tech will participate in Winter Field Day and also host a number of fun and educational activities on Saturday, January 28, 2023 from 2:00 to 9:00 PM at 16 Tech Circle in Natick, Massachusetts. “We will stay warm and take a points loss but still have fun! Non-licensed adults and children can get on the air with one of our control operators.”