Miguel Enriquez, KD7RPP, is an Instructor with the ARRL’s Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology (TI), as well as a math and electronics teacher at Pueblo High School in Tucson, Arizona. One of his responsibilities at Pueblo is advising the school’s Amateur Radio club.

“Our radio club has discovered how much fun ham radio can be as a way to improve the math, science, technology and communications skills of the students,” he told the ARRL. “We are also fortunate that the ARRL has been generous in providing us with equipment, materials, supplies and curricula. Without their support, we would not currently be involved in building QRP transceivers, ATV downconverters for our Amateur Television station (W7ATN), underwater robots for mapping lakes recently discovered in caves in the Southwest -- and fox hunt transmitters.”

Since the article “A Transmitter for Fox Hunting” by former ARRL Education & Technology Program Coordinator Mark Spencer, WA8SME, appeared in the May 2011 issue of QST, Enriquez said the Pueblo High School Amateur Radio Club has been “swamped” with requests for transmitters: “Our high school club offers information about foxhunting and the transmitters free of charge to schools and clubs that sponsor Amateur Radio activities for young people.”

According to ARRL Education Services Manager Debra Johnson, K1DMJ, Enriquez and his students are offering the transmitters at no charge. “Their plan is to supply the boards to clubs, schools or anyone promising to use them to support Amateur Radio outreach with kids,” she explained. “They have been doing some fundraising to support the cost of providing the boards.”

Enriquez said that the demand for the transmitters has far exceeded their supply: “With the school year winding down, we are unable to replenish our supply until the fall semester. We will re-order the circuit boards and components over the summer and will gladly provide 50 kits (two transmitters per school or organization) free of charge to the first 50 requests we receive. We are offering the transmitters in kit form because building 100 transmitters in a timely fashion will be a bit of a stretch for our high school students; however, if you cannot find someone to build the kits and are willing to wait a while longer, our students will provide built fox transmitters for you.”

Enriquez explained that not only will these first transmitters be supplied at no cost, postage will also be borne by the high school club. “The Pueblo Amateur Radio Club salvaged and sold more 400 pounds of copper from used cables, equipment and antennas that were donated to the club,” he said. “The club voted to use those monies to pay for the fox hunt transmitters. Part of the Pueblo High School Amateur Radio Club’s mission is to contribute something of value to our country. So we decided to do just that by helping schools and organizations add some fun learning to their Amateur Radio activities that will result in improved communication and emergency operation skills.”

If your school or organization is interested in getting on the list to obtain these free transmitters, please send Enriquez an e-mail and he will respond as quickly as his time permits.