For the last few years, the NPARC club has been holding its
meetings in the cafeteria of the Salt Brook Elementary School in New Providence
NJ. As a way of thanking the school for this courtesy and to further our
objective of introducing amateur radio to new
people, the club -- spearheaded by Barry K2JV -- offered the school guidance in
getting enrolled in the ARISS
(Amateur Radio International Space Station) "Talk to the Astronaut" program.
The ultimate reward of the program is a 10 minute radio contact with an
astronaut flying aboard the International
Space Station (ISS).
The school accepted our offer and worked with us on the
official application. Our application has now been approved, although it may be
2006-7 before the school's name perks to the top of the list and the kids finally
get to talk to the astronaut.
In the meantime, the school will begin
grade-appropriate educational programs that relate to space travel and radio. To maximize the educational experience, the students
will be encouraged to
do as much as they can on their own to prepare for and conduct the actual
ISS radio contact. This includes developing the questions they will ask the
astronauts, actually asking the questions on the air, and using computers to
track the path of the ISS as it flies overhead. NPARC club members will
act as advisors during this process and will provide the radios, special antennas, and other
equipment needed to maximize the duration and quality of the eventual ISS radio
contact.
In addition, in November 2003, NPARC helped the
school start an extra-curricular radio club (see
the December Spark Gaps). The school club meets twice a month and NPARC club
members work with students in learning radio theory, operating practices, and
the Morse code -- and in assisting them in making actual radio contacts.
We are especially proud of the leadership and
commitment shown by our high school club members Lauryn WW2OLF
and Emily KC2KMK who have
volunteered to work with the school club and the school's ARISS project.
<- Lauren and friend Stephanie working with Salt Brook School radio club members.
We will use this page to record progress on both
the school club and the status of the ARISS (Amateur Radio International Space
Station) project. If you would like further information about these
projects and/or would like to get involved, please contact
Barry K2JV.
Note: Currently the ISS listens on 144.49 and transmits
on 145.80
March 2004 SBS ARC
News!
The Salt Brook School kids have selected a name for their radio club!
They worked on it, they did it themselves, and they came up with the
name: “Salt Brook Statics”
. This group of extraordinary bright and interested kids also came up
with a Club Motto: “Get Connected”
Now they are hard at work designing the art work for the
Club’s Tee Shirt, which hopefully will be completed and
manufactured before the school year is finished. Of course they do all
this in addition to learning Ham Radio Communications, Morse Code, how
to track a satellite with a directional antenna, and actually getting on
the air.
NPARC club members are encourage to come work with the
students at a “Statics” meeting at 3PM on the second and fourth Monday
of every month.
Esposito and Bryce Vogel, all 5th and 6th graders.
Record of the
First SBS ARC Meeting:
The first meeting of the
Salt Brook School Amateur Radio Club occurred on Monday 24 November. There were
a total of 52 kids who "signed up" for the program before they shut off
registrations, and 36 actually showed up for the first meeting.
The teacher in charge of the
Club is Ms. Cathy Cleenput, who is the "Gifted and Talented" special teacher for
the New Providence school district. The photos above
were taken by Ms. Cleenput.
Five "activity centers" were
available for the kids to visit as
they so chose:
Morse Code: Harry
AB3CM had 2 code oscillators and keys, and started
seven kids on their way to learning the "secret code."
Satellite tracking: Bob
K2GLS had his laptop running the tracking program, and
started them on an understanding of orbits, rising & setting, altitudes and
azimuths, etc. Things they will need to know when the ARISS program really gets
going.
Communications with Phonetic
alphabets: Emily KC2KMK and Eric N2VI
with a pair of HT's (hand-held radios) on a two
meter frequency started a big batch of kids on their way to understanding
point-to-point Radio --
that's Romeo Alfa Delta India Oscar.
On the air QSO's
(conversations): Barry K2JV had a 2 meter FM
transceiver on the club frequency
145.75, and the kids were able to speak with and ask questions of our
"Resident Astronaut", Bob KB2IKC,
in his space station at home.
Publicity Committee:
Lauren WW2OLF's and Stephanie's center drew the largest group of kids.
That group came up with some fantastic and original designs for:
1. An official name for the club
2. A layout for their ID Cards which will have their picture and name.
3. A logo or image for printing on tee shirts for club
members.
SUMMARY --- This was a
great start for a Ham Radio Club
and the ARISS radio contact project. We'll
continue doing the same kind of things -- and more
-- at future meetings, encouraging the kids to
move from center to center
as time goes by. K2JV reporting. Out.
