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Young radio amateurs at Dayton, plus two upcoming operating events to enjoy.

Kid's Day is Right Around the Corner!

Megan McClellan, K5MEM, and Ryan Hicks at Dayton Hamvention with your editor. Hicks wants to get his Amateur Radio license this summer. [Scott Hartlage, KF4PWI, Photo]

The North Hills High School Amateur Radio Club, N3NHC, sold badge holders as a fundraiser at Dayton again this year. (L-R) are Joe Vozza, K3VH; Paul Stumpf, KB3GIJ; Adam Gianella, KB3KQE; Brian Maitz, KB3KKN; Michael Benko, K3NH; Mark Carlisle; Mike Carlisle, and Joseph Merlino, KB3LVR. [Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM, Photo]

(L-R) Paul Stumpf, KB3GIJ; Joseph Merlino, KB3LVR; Joseph Vozza, K3VH; and Brian M Maitz, KB3KKN, huddle around Henry Gernhardt, KE4PIB, in awe, as he sent the letter "f" on the straight key and the computer accurately decodes the character. (On that particular decoder, perfect code was a requirement for it to understand the message, and it was rare that even experienced code operators got it right on the first try.) [Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM, Photo]

Remember, the second ARRL Kid's Day of the year is right around the corner: Saturday, June 18. More information, including guidelines and operating frequencies, are on the ARRL Web site. Please be sure to send me your pictures and stories from this year's event.

Field Day 2005 Looms!

Get ready for some serious operating, because the weekend of June 25-26 is ARRL Field Day, which is also a great event for younger radio amateurs and even prospective licensees. Be sure to get involved in your local club's Field Day operation, and send me your pictures too! Details are available via the ARRL "Contest Forms and Rules" page--scroll down to "Field Day."

Dayton Hamvention 2005: Youth, Youth Everywhere!

Dayton Hamvention 2005 May 20-22 was the place to be for radio amateurs young and old. Hara Arena is teeming with activity during Hamvention, but this year included some new youth-oriented activities as well as some familiar ones.

In conjunction with the ARRL 2005 National Convention and ARRL EXPO 2005, there was a "Youth Activities" booth in the Ballarena. There, young hams and prospective licensees could participate in several activities, including an Amateur Radio scavenger hunt, Amateur Radio Jeopardy!, Morse code decoder and Morse code bracelets. ARRL "Big Project" Coordinator Mark Spencer, WA8SME, did an excellent job planning and organizing both the Youth Activities and Education and Technology Program ("The Big Project") booths. Thanks to everyone who helped to staff the "Youth Booth," including Rebecca Rich, KB0VVT; Rebecca Dorff, WG4Y; Angela Williams, WN4C, and (my dad!) Scott Hartlage, KF4PWI.

WA8SME has expressed his appreciation to these young people for their participation in the Youth Booth activities, and he extends congratulations to the prize winners: Anna Brown , N8LZN, 11; Becky Delugach, 10; Allen Yates, 10; Billy Hogvoll, 9; Jimmy Hogvoll, 10; Michael Sambolin, 8; McKayla Johnson, 8; Michael Braun, K3LNT, 16; Anmarie Blazejawski, KB3KFP, 14; Steven Young, KC9ENO, 16; Giselle Warren, KI4GDQ, 13; Michele Kopas, 11; Scott Gscheidle, 10; Rebekah Dorff, WG4Y, 12, and yours truly, 16.

Of course, the annual Youth in Amateur Radio Forum was held again this year, and it was standing room only, as usual. In Carole Perry, WB2MGP's absence, Noel McKeown, WB8QQC, moderated the forum and kept all seven speakers on track. This year's forum was very enjoyable with excellent speakers who included Chris Gerard, KC8WBU; Ian Blodger, KD8AII; Nick Myaard, KC8ZTV; Sean Muldawer, KB3KXW; Zhenghua Yang, KC0QWA; Trevor Lawrence, KC0OJH, and your editor.

A couple of what I hope will become Dayton youth traditions began this year: the Youth Dinner and youth calling frequencies. Fifteen young hams and hams-to-be, ranging in age from 10 to 18, showed up at Ryan's Steakhouse Saturday evening for the Youth Dinner. Rebecca, KB0VVT, had the original idea and contacted me the week before Dayton. After some last-minute planning, we pulled it off, and it was quite a success.

There was a "youth table" and several adult tables, and I'd venture a guess that the adults had just as much fun as we young folks did. The dinner began at 5:30 PM and finally wrapped up at about 9:30 PM, after a great deal of conversation and getting to know each other.

Fourteen participants signed in (one other didn't--a mystery guest?): Robert Holbert, KC8ZHK, 15; Evan McPartland, KC2NRB, 13; Patrick Whitson, KI4JOT, 11; Becky Delugech, 10; Rebecca Rich, KB0VVT; Rebekah Dorff, WG4Y; Chris O'Dell, N5CMO; Michael Braun, K3LNT; Emily Bishop, KI4CHK; Christy Simmons, KG4WXO; Sam Rose, KC2LRC, 15; Simon Rosen, VE2RSE, 11; Ben Mills, KG4QVP, 18, and me.

Several young hams stayed in touch on this year's simplex frequencies, designated as "youth calling frequencies." Thanks to Michael, K3LNT, for coming up with this idea. Like the Youth Dinner, the youth calling frequencies will probably be used again next year.

Our congratulations to K3LNT, who recently upgraded to Amateur Extra. Also, congrats to Taylor Dillard, who passed her Technician and 5 WPM Morse code exam at Ham-Com in Dallas. Last, but not least, kudos to Sadie Dillard, KE5BUX, who got her Extra ticket at Ham-Com.

Please let me know about accomplishments of young hams that you know, too, and I'll recognize them in this column.

"Big Project" Students Join Mentoring Club for Memorial Day Pparade

The New Providence Amateur Radio Club (NPARC) in the Watchung Hills area of New Jersey played host to seven youthful members of the Salt Brook Statics Amateur Radio Club in this year's Memorial Day parade. From ARRL Education and Technology Program ("The Big Project") participant Salt Brook School, the Statics enjoy after-school Amateur Radio program at their school. NPARC members serve as mentors to the youngsters.

The school program's primary purpose is to teach the students about telecommunications, science, geography and the space program. In fact, the Salt Brook School is on the schedule to take part in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) school group contact, probably in September or October. To prepare, the youngsters have been practicing communicating with simulated astronauts--actually members of NPARC, operating from their home stations. The students also have been able to eavesdrop on real space-to-earth communications when the ISS in within range.

The Memorial Day parade provided a convenient, timely and fun activity for youngsters and oldsters alike. The kids not only toted the NPARC banner (see photo) but, using their hand-held transceivers, busily engaged in QSOs with each other and with NPARC members elsewhere in the area--offering parade viewers a live--and moving--ham radio demonstration.--Barry G. Cohen, K2JV

	Your editor helps Lauren Mahn make a bracelet with her name in Morse code, while her dad, Ronald Mahn, KI5FR, looks on. [Scott Hartlage, KF4PWI, Photo]	Ten-year-old Susie Markley, pictured here with your editor, stopped by the ARRL Youth Booth in Dayton. She hopes to earn her Technician ticket this month.
Our youngest visitor, Eilis McCarthy, shown here with her dad, ARRL Life Member Brian McCarthy, NX9O, holding her prize from the Youth Booth.[Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM, Photo]	John Richard Blaney, shown here with his dad, James Blaney, KA9LEP, was excited to drive the robot, which he called "Tipsy." [Scott Hartlage, KF4PWI, Photo]	Mark Spencer, WA8SME, ARRL Education and Technology Program Coordinator (in blue), demonstrates how a magnet falls through a copper tube--as compared with how it falls through a plastic or aluminum tube--while several youth watch in amazement (try it yourself).[Scott Hartlage, KF4PWI, Photo]

Summer Reading

• An Unconventional Convention: Dayton Hamvention and ARRL 2005 National Convention a Winning Combo (Jun 2, 2005)
• Feature: The Amateur Radio Crossword Puzzler (Jun 8, 2005) -- "To Your Scattered Grid Squares Go"
• ISS "Spacefarers" Growing Radishes, Australian Students Learn via Ham Radio (Jun 7, 2005)
• San Diego Area Youngsters Enjoy Contact with NA1SS Aboard the International Space Station (Jun 3, 2005)
• ARISS Seeks School Involvement in "SuitSat" Project (Jun 3, 2005)
• University students' first Amateur Radio balloon mission a success (May 27, 2005)
• It's Not Really "Zero Gravity" on Space Station, Astronaut Tells Youngsters (May 26, 2005)
• Feature: The Amateur Radio Crossword Puzzler (May 25, 2005)
• Japanese Junior High Students Take "Giant Step" via Ham Radio (May 17, 2005)
• CW Ops Whip Whippersnapper Text Messengers on National Television (May 16, 2005)

Although a few people are away from the table, a number of youth smile for the camera during the Youth Dinner in Dayton, Ohio.[Rick Lindquist, N1RL, Photo]	Seventeen-year-old Rebecca Rich, KB0VVT, operates CW on Icom's new radio at the Dayton Hamvention. [Ian Keith, N8IK, Photo]	The youngsters from the Youth Forum pose for a group photo.[Scott Hartlage, KF4PWI, Photo]
Girl Power! (L-R) Three YLs, Rebecca Dorff, WG4Y; Christy Simmons, KG4WXO; and Emily Bishop, KI4CHK, enjoy the company of other girls at the youth dinner.[Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM, Photo]	Eleven-year-old Simon Rosen, VE2RSE, tries to send his call sign on the straight key, while fifteen-year-old Robert Holbert, KC8ZHK, looks on. [Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM, Photo]	Dayton Youth Forum presenter Sean Muldauer, KB3KXW, tries his hand at "robot-driving," with the help of Scott Hartlage, KF4PWI. [Alan Muldawer, N3ALN, Photo]

Remember to...

• Check into the Echo Link Connecticut Amateur Radio League of Youth (CARLY) Net--Sundays at 7:00 PM Eastern Time on the K3KID-L link.

• Try the ARRL Youth Sked Database to set up on-air schedules with other young hams.

• Visit the North American Youth Net (NAYN) voice net on Fridays from 23:00 to 23:30 UTC on 14.329 MHz and the NAYN PSK net on 14.075, near 1500 Hz on Sundays at 23:00 UTC.

• Visit the IRLP New Ham Trivia Net, which takes place on a linked 440 repeater system in Southern California and on IRLP Node 3500. Check in with NCS Brandon Umbarger, KG6NMQ, Fridays. 7 PM Pacific Time.

• Look for other youth on subchannel 06 of the 9600 IRLP Reflector. Philadelphia IRLP Reflector owner, Vic Tenaglia, N3IO, was kind enough to invite Amateur Radio's youth to use the reflector for youth communications.

• Check in with the ". 275 Youth Group", an informal "rag chew" group, on Saturdays, at 9:00 PM Eastern, on 7.275 MHz or +/- 10 KHz.

• Check into the World Wide Youth Net (WWYN) on Saturdays, 19:00 UTC, on 21.305.

• Try the Young Amateur Echolink Net (YAEN) by checking in with net control, Michael Braun, K3LNT, on the WASH_DC Conference server, node 6154, on Saturdays at 1:00 UTC, which is 9:00 PM Eastern on Fridays.

New to Amateur (Ham) Radio?

• Explore the Web site (this one!) of ARRL--the National Association for Amateur Radio. There's lots here, like the Harmonics (Youth) Web page.
• Take practice Amateur Radio tests on the QRZ.com or eHam.net Web sites.
• Read previous Youth@HamRadio.Fun columns.
• Find a local radio club.
• Attend a local hamfest (Amateur Radio convention).

ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP (right), proudly shows off some exceptional youth from his own state of Texas. In front are Taylor Dillard, KE5FCY, 7, who has Tech Plus privileges, and Sadie Dillard, KE5BUX, 8, a brand-new Extra. Back row (L-R): Renee Straney, KE5BUV, and Jerry Dillard, WD4LHN. [Photo provided by Dan Miller, K3UFG]

But most of all, get involved. No excuses!

Final Comments

Thanks to everyone who sent me their Dayton Hamvention photos or otherwise contributed to this month's column. If you didn't see your story here, I'm probably holding it for next month, so stay tuned.

Please continue to send me your youth-related news, stories and pictures. Have a great Kid's Day and Field Day!

Editor's Note: Sixteen-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."

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