News Page 17
This page contains all the latest news about school amateur radio clubs. Please contact us to add your SARC news to this page. Send us a picture and description of your SARC activities. Remember to get parental permission to publish student photographs on this site and in our newsletters.
Kairi State School Amateur Radio Club VK4KSS
This is a good-news story, as told from our own perspective, about what is possible when Amateur Radio operators have a singular vision and the determination to create something wonderful...
In May 2022 we were asked by Sarah Dean, VK4FSLD, who is the Senior Advisor Emergency Management for the Tablelands Regional Council, if we could help her with reviewing an award application that she was preparing for The Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience. The "Resilient Australia Awards" celebrate and promote initiatives that build whole of community resilience to disasters and emergencies around Australia. Sarah explained that with the help of Stuart Dunk, VK4SDD, secretary of the Tablelands Radio and Electronics Club and Jean McMaster, VK4FAEL, Kairi State School Enrichment teacher, they were able to encourage ten students to sit for and get their Amateur Radio Foundation Licences.
Well, we where blown away when we heard this! It must be an Australian first, that a school has had so many successful foundation licence candidates in one year. Indeed, to reward their efforts, Sarah was later successful in obtaining the award and the school used the prize money to purchase an IC-7300 HF transceiver and a number of VHF/UHF hand-held radios.
Since then, we have been working with Jean, each week during term, assisting her in preparing practical activities for her STEM enrichment classes. We are using our Electronics Workshop Lesson Plans which are focused on fundamental electronics concepts, helping the students get hands-on, practical experience. In addition, sales of our SARCNET products and generous donations from the Moorrabbin and District Radio Club, FISTS Down Under and Doug VK3AWO, has enabled us to donate electronics kits, components and test equipment to the school.
In 2023 Jean announced that, with the help of Stuart, eleven more students have sat for and passed their foundation licence exams and have now received their own call signs. What an outstanding effort! We were so impressed that we have written to each of the students to find out more about them and what motivated them. We can honestly say that they are really enjoying their enrichment activities and are genuinely interested in Amateur Radio.
Congratulations to this year's successful candidates:
Natalie VK4AFQEbony VK4AFVBlaize VK4AFNAva M VK4AFAAmelia VK4AFOCharlotte VK4AFGAriel VK4ADTAbbey VK4AEGTom VK4AETAva B VK4AFDLucille VK4AEVMason VK4ACX
Jean informs us that, pending approval from the Queensland Department of Education, they will soon be erecting a multi-band antenna at the school. Of course, we just can't wait to speak with the students on the air.
SARCNET by ChatGPT
We asked ChatGPT to write a news article about SARCNET. We just added the pictures.
"The School Amateur Radio Club Network (SARCNET) is a program that encourages Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) through the establishment and operation of amateur radio clubs in schools. SARCNET was started by Julie VK3FOWL and Joe VK3YSP with the goal of introducing young people to the world of amateur radio and fostering their interest in STEM related subjects.
School Amateur Radio Clubs
Through their work with SARCNET, Julie and Joe have helped to establish amateur radio clubs in local schools, providing resources and support to both students and teachers.
Amateur Radio
The SARCNET program provides resources and support to help schools set up and operate amateur radio clubs. These resources include information on licensing requirements, equipment recommendations, and educational materials on radio theory, propagation and technology. The program also facilitates communication and collaboration between schools that have established amateur radio clubs, encouraging the sharing of best practices and the formation of a supportive community.
Ionospheric Propagation
Electronics
One of the key goals of SARCNET is to encourage student interest in STEM subjects by introducing young people to the exciting world of amateur radio. The program provides opportunities for students to learn about electronics, soldering, coding, radio communications, and related technologies.
Soldering
Coding
Workshops
They have also organized school events, workshops and activities to help promote the program and raise awareness of the many benefits of amateur radio. They have published articles about their program in Amateur Radio and Education Today magazines. They have been recognized for their efforts, receiving several awards from the Wireless Institute of Australia for their work in promoting amateur radio education.
Displays
Publications
Events
Benefits
The benefits of participating in SARCNET and operating an amateur radio club at school are numerous. Students who participate in the program gain practical experience in electronics, radio communications, and related technologies, as well as developing important skills in teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving. Amateur radio can be used for a wide range of purposes, from communicating with other enthusiasts around the world to providing emergency communications in times of disaster.
Overall, the School Amateur Radio Club Network is an excellent program that provides young people with the opportunity to explore their interests in STEM and develop valuable skills that will serve them well throughout their lives."