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 Previous: DERA Relief Team Gives a Leg up to Haiti Ham Radio Disaster Communication |  Next: Need for Spectrum Defense Fund Never Stops |
By Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM
Contributing Editor
November 3, 2004
Some JOTA memories, the accomplishments of several young hams and more.
Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) Reminiscences
Texx Woodworth, KG6ATH, remembers one of his JOTA experiences that took place in the late 1970s. In high school, struggling to learn Morse Code and not yet licensed, Woodworth was on the Boy Scout Camporee staff, and since it was JOTA weekend, he took along a generator, HF antenna and receiver.
Camporee attendees could earn points by participating in various events. "One of the easy slam dunk events was to come up 'staff hill,' get the ham radio speech and listen to JOTA traffic for 20 minutes," says Woodworth.
"I got several people hooked, and they got licensed," he recalls. But Woodworth did not. By the early 1980s, he'd given up on ham radio--not to return until 1999.
Ironically, James DeLong, one of the people he'd managed to hook as a Scout, later became KB6MER, and Woodworth now considers him a friend for life. When Woodworth finally got his license, DeLong sold him a handheld transceiver and guided him through his first repeater QSO. What's that old saw about "What goes around, comes around"?
 (L-R) ARRL CEO David Summer, K1ZZ; 2003 Hiram Percy Maxim Award Winner Jay Thompson, W6JAY; ARRL Southwestern Division Director Art Goddard, W6XD. [Richard Thompson, WA6NOL, Photo] |
 2003 Hiram Percy Maxim Award Winner Jay Thompson, W6JAY (front left), and the Twelfth ARDF World Championships Team. The competition took place September 9 to 11 in the Czech Republic. [Richard Thompson, WA6NOL, Photo] |
 Eastern Massachusetts Section Manager Phil Temples, K9HI, and Jeff Lehman, N1ZZN. |
Hiram Percy Maxim Award Winner Receives Plaque
One of the 2003 ARRL Hiram Percy Maxim Award winners, Jay Thompson, W6JAY, received his plaque August 28 at the 2004 ARRL Southwestern Division Convention [The other winner, the writer of this column, will receive her HPM Award Saturday, November 6--Ed.]. During the convention, Thompson spoke about Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF), and he reports that it was "standing room only."
Thompson also participated in an ARES activation on October 6. He reports the Hospital Disaster Support Communications System (HDSCS) ARES group was dispatched to Tustin Hospital Medical Center after a construction accident at an adjacent property severed one telecommunications cable and damaged another.
"Incoming and outgoing lines were affected along with paging, e-mail, fire alarm and fax capability," he reported. Twenty three HDSCS volunteer communicators were involved in the nearly 16-hour event, backing up the paging system and handling occasional calls to and from physicians, says Thompson. The volunteers were on site from 5:30 PM on October 6 until almost 9:30 AM the next day.
Club Recognizes Young Member with Special Award
The Whitman Amateur Radio Club (WA1NPO) has honored 20-year-old Jeff Lehman, N1ZZN, of Hanson, Massachusetts, with a check for $1500 to assist with his educational expenses. Lehman also got a plaque and citation during a formal presentation ceremony October 6. A spokesperson said the club bestowed the special award to recognize Lehman's accomplishments and activities on several levels.
Licensed in 1997 and an ARRL member, Lehman is a second-year engineering student at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. He's active as a SKYWARN volunteer and serves as the Eastern Massachusetts Director of the New England Spectrum Management Council. In addition to the Whitman ARC, he also belongs to the USS Salem Radio Club (K1USN), the Marconi Radio Club (KM1CC/W1AA) and the Southeastern Massachusetts Amateur Radio Association, and he's the Webmaster for the New England Repeater Directory.
Lehman also has volunteered to assist during the Boston Marathon
and operates a low-power FM station at the Hosstraders flea market in New Hampshire
each May and October--providing information to those attending the event. When he
graduates, he plans to pursue a career in broadcast engineering.--information thanks to Bob Burns, K1RB
 William Hoge, KB3GHE, and Andrew Young, KB3GUY, ponder data received from SimSat 1B. |
Scout Venture Crew Does Good Turn for NASA
Equipped with ham radio gear, members of Venture Crew 173 of Westminster, Maryland, took part in an engineering test flight of the NASA Simulated Satellite (SimSat) program. SimSat is an educational program that flies simple, student-built payloads to a near-space altitude using a small weather balloon. Crew 173 operated a ground tracking station near Westminster to receive and decode telemetry from the payload.
The first test balloons (SimSat 1A and 1B) were launched from Wallops Island, Virginia, on September 30 and October 1. The scouts assembled a tracking station using their ham radio gear and personal computers to receive data from the October 1 flight, which contained two Amateur Radio transmitters.
"One operated with about the same power as the transmitter for a garage door opener. The more powerful was about as strong as a cell phone," said Crew President William Hoge, KB3GHE. "It wasn't easy to receive such weak signals from over 100 miles away."
Although the more powerful transmitter failed shortly after launch, the scouts were able to pick up a usable signal from the weaker transmitter for more than an hour. At that point, NASA radar showed that the balloon was above 75,000 feet in altitude.
Other ham radio operators from as far away as Western Pennsylvania also were able to hear signals from the October 1 flight. During the September 30 flight, the signals from the more powerful transmitter were received by a radio amateur in Ontario.
The initial payloads carried simple telemetry systems that reported inside and outside air temperature from the balloon. Future payloads will include GPS data.
Venturing is a part of the Boy Scouts of America open to young
men and women from 14 to 20 years old. Venture Crew 173 specializes in activities
related to communications such as computer programming and Amateur Radio and is
sponsored by a group of Carroll County Amateur Radio Operators.
 Girl Scout Jean Arimond, KC0SAN, directs demo operations for special event station K0S. [Jason Godfrey--Photo] |
 Girl Scouts tapping rhythm of the code, tutored by Janice Robidoux, K0JA. [Arimond Family Photo] |
K0S--A Super Success!
Girl Scouts were on the air July 16-17 from special event station K0S during the Minnesota Dreams Jamboree. At the helm of the special event station was 18-year-old Jean Arimond, KC0SAN, who was aiming for her Girl Scout Gold Award--the highest award that a 14 to 17-year-old Girl Scout may earn.
About 150 young women chose to sign up for two hours of Amateur Radio experience. More than 2000 girls from 30 states attended the campout, sponsored by the Greater Minneapolis Council, Girl Scouts of America (GSA).
ARRL Dakota Division Vice Director Twila Greenheck, N0JPH, was on site along with several other YLs to offer help. "With over 100 tantalizing exhibits to compete with, we felt good to get that many girls choosing to learn about Amateur Radio," Greenheck said. The Minnesota Youth in Amateur Radio Council members also displayed their equipment van during the event.
Greenheck reports several Girl Scouts expressed an interest in Amateur Radio and wanted more information. And in that light, Greenheck says, the event was a success.
Assistant Section Manager for Scouting
In my last column, I mentioned several ARRL sections that now have assistant section managers for youth and encouraged other sections to follow in their footsteps. Now we hear that Georgia and New Hampshire have designated ASMs for scouting.
New Hampshire Assistant Section Manager for Scouting Service
Rob Hoitt, N1FSK, says the position is aimed at helping the Section to do a better
job of promoting JOTA. Although he no longer considers himself a young ham, Hoitt
has been involved in scouting all of his life.
 A 40-foot hydraulic antenna mast on a former communications van converted by ham operators and made available by Amateur Radio volunteers was on display at the Minnesota Dreams Jamboree. [Jason Godfrey Photo] |
"After a few rap sessions with my Section Manager Al Shuman, N1FIK, we worked out a strategic plan to better promote JOTA and to make it a viable activity," he said. "And since I was the one to bring it up in the first place, it became my ball to run with."
Since his appointment, the number of JOTA participants in New Hampshire has increased significantly. "The Max I. Silber Memorial JOTA 2004 Station N1S was the most successful JOTA station we've ever had in New Hampshire," says Hoitt. With 95 participants and three stations, they were able to make quite a few contacts.
The New Hamsphire Section's Scouting Resource and the radioscouting.org pages have more information about JOTA and Scout activities.
In addition to having an Assistant Section Manager for Youth, Georgia Section Manager Susan Swiderski, AF4FO, recently appointed David Pearce, AB0NG, as Assistant Section Manager for Scouting.
Does your ARRL Section have either an ASM for Youth or an ASM for Scouting? If so, please let me know. If not, perhaps it's an opportunity for you to step into a leadership position in your Section.
ARRL Georgia State Convention Youth Activities
The ARRL Georgia State Convention (the Stone Mountain Hamfest and Computer Expo) in Lawrenceville, Georgia, is the place to be for all young or prospective hams. It's just ahead: Saturday, November 6. Not only does everyone under age 16 get in free, but the hamfest includes several activities specifically geared toward youth.
This year former ARRL Web Youth Editor (and ARRL Rocky Mountain Division Vice Director-elect) Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT, will join me in speaking at the Youth Forum. A roundtable discussion about youth involvement in Amateur Radio will follow the formal presentations, so come ready to discuss. Young people and adults interested in mentoring youth are welcome to attend.
ARRL Senior News Editor Rick Lindquist, N1RL--who edits this column--will represent ARRL Headquarters at the hamfest.
In addition, a "Youth Lounge" will provide several youth-friendly activities, including special event station W4Y ("Watch for Youth!"), and, of course, refreshments.
Autumn Reading
Remember to . . .
New to Amateur (Ham) Radio?
But most of all, get involved. No excuses!
Final Comments
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this month's column. Be sure to continue to let me know about your Section's youth-related activities. I am looking for youth to tell me about their Elmers (Amateur Radio mentors--anyone who helped introduce you to ham radio) and what makes them special.
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: DERA Relief Team Gives a Leg up to Haiti Ham Radio Disaster Communication | Next: Need for Spectrum Defense Fund Never Stops |
