KB6NU's Ham Radio Blog

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Lets expand our concept of public service

Posted: 08 Jun 2021 08:41 AM PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/kb6nu...m_medium=email


I try and keep up with the news about amateur radio, and to that end, I
subscribe to the Southgate ARC news feed and get an amateur radio Google
Alert.
The Hudson River Radio Relay is holding a series of special event stations
to raise funds for the preservation of the Bannerman Castle on an island in
the Hudson River.

Every now and then, theres a news story that catches my eye about a club
providing some kind of public service outside the normal channels. In this
instance, its a special event sponsored by the Hudson River Radio Relay to
raise funds for the preservation of the historic Bannerman Castle, which
sits on an island in the Hudson River. Hams who contact the clubs special
event stations will be sent a certificate along with information on how to
contribute to the fundraiser.

Here in Ann Arbor, Im trying to raise funds for a permanently-endowed
scholarship for a student attending Washtenaw Community College. My goal is
to raise $10,000 that the community colleges foundation will then use to
award a $500 scholarship every year to a student who either holds an
amateur radio license or is pursuing a career in a technical field.
Unfortunately, Im a better amateur radio operator than I am a fundraiser,
so its going slowly. I do intend to see this through, though.

Another opportunity that some might be interested in is volunteering with
TryEngineering.org. This is an IEEE program, which encourages young people
to try engineering and pursue a technical career. According to the website,
there are opportunities for volunteers, and there might be some way that
your club could contribute.

One possibility that intrigued me is the Parents Program, but when I
clicked on the link, I got the following:

Parents play a large part in furthering their children’s STEM interests.
These activities are designed specifically for parents to introduce them to
STEM fields and to share resources to aid parents in guiding their
children. The workshops can feature presentations from STEM professionals,
hands-on activities or informal discussions.Â*We currently have no programs
in this category. If you have a program, that targets parents, we would
like to include it in the library.

Now, that sounds like something I could do. Im much better working with
adults than I am working with kids. I plan to contact our local STEAM
school and see if they already have some kind of parents program, and if
not, think about what I might be able to do to start one.

I think that you get the picture here. Its all about using our knowledge
and skills in new ways to better serve our community. Providing emergency
communications is all well and good, but theres no reason that we cant do
more. Thinking outside the box of traditional amateur radio activities will
enable us to help more people and is great PR for ham radio.

Let me know if your club is already doing something like this, or if you
have other ideas for out of the box public service.

The post Lets expand our concept of public service appeared first on KB6NUs
Ham Radio Blog.


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Amateur radio videos: How to get free parts, The Secret Life of the Radio

Posted: 07 Jun 2021 01:33 PM PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/kb6nu...m_medium=email

How to get almost any part for free or cheap

Jeremy Fielding is an amazing maker who has made all kinds of things from
scavenged parts. In this video, he gives you eight tips on how to find free
parts from non-working appliances, defunct exercise equipment, and
non-functioning electronics equipment.



The secret life of the radio

Tim Hunkin has a great talent for explaining technology. Here, is his
classic video on the history and basics of radio.



Amateur radio operators are still in high demand

This is a TV news report on amateur radio in the Wabash Valley of Illinois
and Indiana.



The post Amateur radio videos: How to get free parts, The Secret Life of
the Radio appeared first on KB6NUs Ham Radio Blog.