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 Previous: Extra Class Certificate added to The ARRL Awards Program |  Next: The K7VVV Solar Update |
By Robert Lah, KD5HAW
June 22, 2001
Teenagers have busy social and academic schedules, but they can be intrigued by a challenge. This school administrator found a way to move his agenda--Amateur Radio and public service--to the top of their list of "cool" things to do.
There are two licensed amateurs in our high school science department here at St. Pius X High School in Albuquerque New Mexico--Jim Carrie, AD5BX, and I. Jim is a science teacher and Elmered me through my license studies.
The science department had an informal policy that allowed students to raise their fourth-quarter grades by taking the Technician exam for extra credit. The policy was not a success. We were lucky if one or two students earned licenses in a school year. Since students had to take the initiative and study on their own, their enthusiasm diminished as procrastination increased as time went on. Furthermore, the policy was primarily directed toward senior physics students. As graduation neared, many seniors began to shut down academically--a disorder known as "senioritis."
 Science teachers Jim Carrie, AD5BX (left), and Robert Lah, KD5HAW, the author. On the table is a student-built "Martian Rover" that features radio control, APRS tracking and enough "intelligence" to not fall off precipices or bump into obstacles. |
This year I decided that we would have a more formal and vigorous approach to recruiting new hams, especially in the lower grades, nine to twelve. I, as department chair, was in a position to allow students to substitute the Technician exam for the traditional science project. The rationale was as follows: Basic concepts in radio theory, electricity, electronics and atmospheric propagation constituted a significant amount of science content. The effort necessary to prepare for the exam was roughly equivalent to that put into a science project. Students would gain a theoretical and technical basis sufficient to develop more creative projects next year. Linking Amateur Radio to the local SKYWARN program would give the students training in the basic meteorology of severe storms and would increase the pool of storm spotters for our state.
We put short announcements in the daily morning bulletins and emphasized that any students interested in electronics or communications careers should take advantage of this opportunity. We also announced the plan to all the science classes. More than two dozen students, mostly sophomores, showed up at the first after-school informational meeting. We immediately ordered the ARRL Now You're Talking. Students bought their books from us at our cost, and we provided everything else free of charge--summaries, practice exams and time. Students chose to meet at 7:15 AM on Tuesdays, 45 minutes before the start of classes. Attendance was optional but certain written activities and practice exams were not.
We established certain minimum requirements for student credit. Students had to turn in handwritten answers to 66 questions selected from the ARRL Instructor's Manual and take at least one practice exam. Exams were graded and returned to the students. They were required to pass the Technician exam. Students had to attend a number of post-exam training sessions in on-the-air procedures. Students were required to participate in a SKYWARN workshop on severe-weather spotting sponsored by Keith Hayes, KC5KH, from the local weather bureau.
 Many of the young hams at St. Pius X High School in Albuquerque New Mexico. |
Students were encouraged to attend weekly study sessions that focused on question-groups from the exam pool. These sessions were presented in lecture-format where we emphasized ideas and concepts. We provided a number of practice exams to the students. They were given a fallback option if they failed their Technician exam. One could obtain a minimum passing-grade for the project by building a crystal radio and writing a related short report on how it worked. Upon meeting this requirement, a student could re-take the Technician exam and upgrade the credit earned.
Since science projects are due in February, we adhered to a fairly rigid preparation schedule. Twelve weekly study sessions began in October and ran through January, with the exception of semester exam week and Christmas vacation. To prepare for a study session, I selected a test-question group covering FCC regulations, repeaters, electrical principles, RF safety, etc. In each lecture, I emphasized key words and terms that correlated with correct answers to test questions. I used memory tricks whenever possible. After each session, I typed a summary of my lecture notes and posted copies on the door outside my classroom. The notes were popular with students; especially those who couldn't attend study sessions regularly.
A month or so before our target VE exam session, I compiled a study packet containing questions from the ARRL resource book. High school students frequently want to follow the path of least resistance and are not always inclined to read textbooks unless required to do so. The study questions helped the students use their manuals more effectively. It was also an effective way of getting them to use their Now You're Talking manuals. They needed to know something about the theory behind the test questions. Study sessions, review sheets and the question packets addressed this issue effectively.
I used the Instructor's Manual practice exam, as well as two other practice exams that I created, using the test question bank that I downloaded from the ARRL Web site. These practice exams were eye openers for the students because they showed the students how much they needed to know. We used automated answer sheets that enabled me to grade the exams quickly and give virtually instant feedback. Students were also encouraged to take practice exams available on the QRZ Web site. These were especially helpful in the last two weeks before the official exam.
I told the students that preparing for the exam was like learning the lines for a play. Memorization is a key element. As much as we would like students to appreciate the theoretical basis for radio theory, test success involves a significant degree of cramming. Post-exam practical operational sessions were planned to help make "real" hams out of the students. I posted the dates and addresses of VE exam sessions which would be given in our city and nearby areas. I contacted each student and made sure he knew where to go and when. Then I waited with great anticipation for the big day.
After the test, some of the kids called me and gave me some encouraging feedback. Later that evening, I talked on my ham rig to one of the VEs. He said that a large number of young people had showed up and that a majority of them had passed the exam. I was elated!
 Meteorologist Keith Hayes, KC5KH, meets with some of the students during a SKYWARN training session. |
Twenty-two students passed the exam. A couple of students failed, and a few more waited until another VE session three days later. Some students took, or re-took, the test the following month. Thirty-four of our students have become licensed this year. Only two students failed and did not re-test. I believe our efforts were well rewarded.
We are now training the students to get on the air by using Family Radio Service radios. The students had "mike fright," and this technique helps them to get over the jitters. We start by forming two groups and have the students call each other and carry on brief QSOs. Each student passes the radio to the next one in his group until all have had a chance to talk.
Just learning to use the PTT button effectively is a challenge for the beginner. We then conduct a family service radio net. Students call net control--the teachers--and we reply. We use two different channels so two instructors can work the large groups quickly. Next we let the students talk to each other using the instructors' H-Ts on amateur simplex. After this we practice talking on local repeaters.
I wrote up some informational sheets on getting started on the air, proper radio etiquette, calling into nets, etc. I also distributed ads from ham radio magazines so that the students would know what is available. I wrote some advice on shopping for a first radio.
Each student was required to log into a local morning net. Finally, to round out the program for this year, all the students attended an in-house training program on severe-storm reporting.
 Patrick Lonz, KD5NGU, writes in the station log as Whitney Anlian, KD5MXM, operates the school's 2-meter rig. All new hams practice getting on the air by calling in to a morning net, run by Vern Thackeray, W5CSY. [All photos by the author] |
Some students have already asked me to start a CW course next year. This is encouraging. I don't know at this time how many students will actually become active hams, teenagers have lots of things to occupy their time and interests. Ham radio gear also is an expensive luxury for some of them. For this reason, our department bought a 2-meter mobile rig and a power supply and ran some coax to a mag-mount antenna that we put on top of our metal roof. Now my classroom has a ham station for any new ham who wants to use it. Of course, we'll help any student to program and use a ham radio if he buys one and needs help.
We're going to try to recruit some of the students to help with some forthcoming public service events such as marathons and races. Community service is an integral part of our school curriculum, and I think it is one of the most valuable aspects of ham radio to get young people involved in.
Next school year I hope to have an active Amateur Radio club at school. We hope to be able to introduce the students to other aspects of the hobby, such as amateur TV, APRS, DXing, Morse code, building electronic circuits and other aspects of ham radio. We might even interest some of them in radio astronomy through NASA's "Radio Jove" project.
Follow-up activities are extremely important once the students are licensed. There are innumerable possibilities. All you need is time, effort and enthusiasm!
Editor's note: Robert Lah, KD5HAW, is a science teacher at St. Pius X high school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and serves as department chair. He holds a BM and MM in music ("I'm also a professional jazz pianist," he said), an MA in biological anthropology and is currently working on a master's in science teaching. Lah has been a ham for just over two years, and holds a General ticket. He enjoys working DX on the HF bands but spends time on local repeaters as well. "My wife and daughter are most indulgent of me, considering my varied interests," said Lah. Readers may contact the author via e-mail, kd5haw@arrl.net.
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