Devon Day, KF6KEE
A pair of high-school students contact their grandfather for their first HF experience.
March 22, 2010 was going to be the first time my Wilson High School Amateur Radio Emergency Communications (AREC) club students would use their club call sign, K6WHS, to work HF. An event made possible by our ARRL Education & Technology Program project grant, which helped us acquire our Kenwood TS-570S transceiver and Comet CHA-250 B antenna.
I went to bed thinking about how it would all go. As it goes with teachers, I woke up in the middle of the night, thinking about the Houghtons. Allen and Dean Houghton are both members of the Long Beach Wilson Amateur Radio Emergency Communications club. Both of the boys decided to go after their Amateur Radio licenses in honor of their grandfather, Art Thal, K6WIF.
Their mother contacted me saying that Art wanted to come to the school to talk to the club. She mentioned that he lived 400 miles away in Roseville, California. What I found out was that he was a WWII radio operator who served in three wars and he is an Extra class licensee who loves CW. I also learned that his speech has slowed down these days.
During my midnight deliberations I devised a plan to arrange a contact between Art and his grandsons.
Crossing Three Generations
When I got to school, I called Roseville to see if my midnight thought could come to fruition. Bonnie Thal answered. After many years as an Amateur Radio spouse, she was completely on top of the radio language I used.
She called Art to the phone. There was emotion there. He knew my name before I introduced myself. I was the radio club teacher from Wilson High School. The emotion was thick on both sides. Art agreed to meet on 40 meters at 3:30 PM California time.
My next call was to the former ARRL Education & Technology Coordinator, Mark Spencer, WA8SME, who has been a mentor to me ever since my first ARRL grant and my first Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology. Mark agreed to help with my students’ first 40 meter contacts with Art, K6WIF.
Dancing Down the Band
When the time came for the big contact the schedule frequency was busy so Mark moved us to an open spot. He was masterful and I immediately panicked that Art would be left behind. How silly was I? Of course Art was monitoring and moved with us. He is an Extra class ham with many years of radio experience. It was I, with my first HF radio station who was in a panic. I was seriously tempted to grab my cell phone (silly girl) and call both Art and Mark. You experienced operators know they would have never answered.
I decided to start the contact by having Wilson High School club captain David Strachan-Olson call Mark Spencer. That was great. The other kids got to hear from a kid who was not nervous on the radio. David, a General and go-getter, was less nervous than I expected. After 10 minutes I had to remind him that there were 10 other students waiting. During our first contact on 40 meters with Mark Spencer, WA8SME, and Art Thal, K6WIF, nobody from the club moved. Everyone was focused and alert.
Next, I wanted Allen to come on. I said something about the magic of radio and then, being new to HF myself, I wondered if I just called a call sign would the guy I wanted come back? None of the kids said anything. I called “K6WIF,” there was a pause and Art came back. I turned to Allen Houghton and said, “Come talk to your grandpa.” I was done in. The tears were forming in my eyes. I could hardly talk.
A Fine Business Contact
What an amazing first contact! I had nine students out of the 12 member team present. For the Houghtons, the man they honored by their hard work and multiple tests was there to respond. Second grandson Dean, who went on to pass his test becoming KJ6IOY, was also present and participated as a guest. One radio operator after another talked to Mark Spencer about the colleges they would attend, their majors and their dreams.
Another thing I did not know is that there was a group of amazing radio operators who were monitoring in support. I am so grateful to them. The dialogue after I cleared was awesome and made me more confident in trying to stay connected to our new HF possibilities.
A Perfect Moment
I have been proud of my students for learning to pass the Amateur Radio test. In education we talk about Relevance, Rigor and Connections. There is no doubt that there can be Rigor. But showing Relevance through a contact with a grandpa and showing Connections through the support the team gave each other created a perfect educational moment. The fact that the kids do this on their own time, after school, makes them more awesome. The team meets once a week, every week, to study for the FCC exam, to learn radio procedure and to work with both the Wilson High School HF base station and mobile radio station.
Experienced radio operators from LA County Fire, the Amateur Radio Emergency Service, Associated Radio Amateurs of Long Beach and from W6RO on board the RMS Queen Mary have all served as mentors. As the team advisor I donate my time after school to recruit, instruct and do presentations for incoming freshmen to build a new radio team each year.
I have been proud of my students for learning how to take care of and use the equipment. The Wilson Radio Team has over $10,000 worth of equipment that was purchased through three grants, lots of fund raising and a Metlife Ambassador in Education award, in addition to the equipment from ARRL’s Education & Technology Program.
The kids were supporting one another and they were connecting with their own families through their knowledge that if California ever experienced a major disaster, they would be prepared to help.
The magic that occurs in this after-school program is hard to define. Since this first contact, 11 students have passed the FCC Amateur Radio exam. The captain of the team, David Strachan-Olson, KI6UXJ, is a General class operator who received an ARRL Foundation General Fund Scholarship for $2000 for his leadership and service to the school and community. In total, the Wilson High School Amateur Radio team has earned $42,250 dollars in scholarships, and letters of acceptance for internships and university admissions due to their Amateur Radio service.
In addition to studying radio theory, physics, electronics and math, opportunities for growth and experience with radio continue to present themselves. The team is growing in numbers and in possibilities every year through community support, expert mentors and amazing opportunities through grants, scholarships, internships, college admissions and even career opportunities. The three careers that seem to be clearly impacted by Amateur Radio include engineering (theory), medicine and civil service (emergency response). There certainly seems to be something magical in what has occurred for the school’s Amateur Radio Emergency Communications team.
The Queen of Radio
Training at the reconstructed Radio Room of the RMS Queen Mary, W6RO, allows many students to work DX stations at the same time. More than this, it gives the students a chance to learn from experienced W6RO operators such as Nick Buches, NE2N, or Larry Rolewic, WA9SVD. Finally, there is great pride for the students to be able to work a world class radio station from their home town. Can you imagine the memories? Sixteen-year-old students have the opportunity to make amazing contacts from one of the most famous radio stations in the world. Last December, the AREC team operated W6RO during the Christmas holidays. The ship sparkled that evening, the harbor was breathtaking and the students were excited. Some had never been on board the Queen Mary before. Soon they were making contacts — Minnesota, Hawaii, Florida. They had a skill and license that allowed them to speak to the world. Magic.
Photos courtesy of Devon Day, KF6KEE.
Devon Day, KF6KEE, an ARRL member, attended the ARRL Teachers Institute in 2007 to learn about electronics and wireless technology and the Teachers Institute 2 in 2010 where she learned about setting up and operating a satellite ground station. That experience helped her develop a greater ability to assist students reach their project goals as a team. She also gained many new teacher contacts with educators who share her interest in bringing radio into their schools and community. A member of the Associated Radio Amateurs of Long Beach since 1998, she has been able to utilize the expertise of its members to make the most informed decisions for the student operators.
In 2007, Devon was chosen to receive the Metlife Ambassador in Education Award for bringing her community into the classroom in a meaningful way. The Metlife award money helped purchase the materials and radio equipment to build the school’s first mobile radio station.
The Wilson High School Amateur Radio Emergency Communications station is used in ninth grade orientations (over 1000 incoming freshmen and their families), the LBUSD annual science fair and in disaster drills for the school and for the city of Long Beach. Devon Day can be reached at Wilson High School, 4400 E 10th St, Long Beach, CA 90804.
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