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Keith Schreiber, KC0DIV (standing), assists Alex Fisher, KG4WMM, in operating during a Jamboree On The Air (JOTA.).

With the help of Eric Wolf, KG4VPV (right), advisor of Venturing Crew 73, a Webelos Scout makes his first Amateur Radio contact during JOTA operations at K2BSA, the National BSA station at Camp Wisdom, Dallas, Texas. [Frank Krizan, KR1ZAN, Photo]

Scout in space: Astronaut Frank Culbertson, KD5OPQ, made several JOTA contacts from NA1SS during his duty tour aboard the International Space Station.

A group of radio amateurs active with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has established an HF calling plan for scouting camps. Dubbed the "Scout Camps Calling Protocol," (SCCP), the plan aim to make it easier for scouts in the US and around the world to contact other scouts for Radio merit badge requirements, Amateur Radio demonstrations, emergency preparedness, passing traffic or to just get acquainted. The SCCP stemmed from a challenge ham-scouter Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF, posed to members of the Scout Radio Yahoo discussion group to launch a summer camp net, so scouts could talk to one another.

"Scout camp radio stations are often frustrated when they have limited times to get on the air and can't find anyone to talk with," said Frissell, who oversees the technology program and Amateur Radio activities at Forestburg Scout Reservation (W2FSR) in New York. His program includes weekly Technician license classes and examination sessions. In 2005, Frissell served on the K2BSA staff at the National Boy Scout Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia.

Frank Krizan, KR1ZAN, president of the K2BSA Amateur Radio Association, led a few weeks of online discussion, and Scout Radio members came up with the SCCP. "The intent is to encourage camps and folks at home to get on the air at prescribed times and provide radio contacts for scouts at camp," Krizan said, adding that for many scouts it could be their first ham radio contact.

The 2005 National Scout Jamboree radio patch.

Given the multitude of scout camps and time zones, SCCP proponents acknowledge that the likelihood of one scout camp contacting another specific camp would be slim. The concept depends on ham-scouters and other interested radio amateurs not at camp to support scouts who are by providing contacts for them.

Some notes: On 40 meters, 7.270 MHz might be unusable during evening hours because of broadcast station interference. Tune around to find an opening. On 20 meters, avoid 14.300 MHz, which is in regular use by the Maritime Mobile Service Net and the Intercontinental Traffic Net. Although 14.070 MHz is listed as the scout CW calling frequency, a better choice is 14.065 MHz, to avoid PSK31 activity in the vicinity of 14.070 MHz.

Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, developer of Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS) and an avid ham-scouter, adds these suggestions for scout camps and ham-scouters equipped with APRS:

Acknowledgements: Information on the Scout Camp Calling Protocol first appeared in the OCARG EAGLE, an e-zine dedicated to RadioScouting published by the Otschodela Amateur Radio Group (OCARG) and edited by Fred Stevens, K2FRD. ARRL thanks Daniel Fisher, AI4GK, a ham-Scouter and ARRL public information officer in Palm Bay, Florida.

With assistance from Maryam Aljoaan, 9K2MD, one youngster at The Scientific Center of Kuwait prepares to ask her question of US astronaut Jeff Williams, KD5TVQ.

Students who participated in the contact pose in front of the world map that tracked the position of the ISS, which was over Hawaii for the Kuwait QSO. [Photos courtesy of The Scientific Center of Kuwait]

Ultimate experience: Astronaut Jeff Williams, KD5TVQ, during the Expedition 13 crew's first spacewalk in early June. [NASA Photo]

Students at the Scientific Center of Kuwait spoke June 28 via teleconference link and Amateur Radio with astronaut Jeff Williams, KD5TVQ, at NA1SS aboard the ISS. The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program arranged the event, which marked the first such QSO with a school in the Middle East. Responding to one question, Williams told the youngsters what it's like to perform a spacewalk.

"Spacewalking is the ultimate experience up here," Williams said. "To go outside and literally be a spacecraft yourself and to be just hanging on the outside and seeing the entire Earth in one view is absolutely incredible."

"Early in my career I was a pilot, and I've always wanted to be an explorer," he replied. "I love flight, and this is the ultimate way to fly, and I became an astronaut by setting goals early in life when I was in school and working very hard to meet those goals."

Williams said his favorite leisure-time activity is taking photographs of Earth "and looking at all those wondrous sights below."

The astronaut also told the students at the Scientific Center that there's "continuous noise" aboard the ISS.

"It's not very loud, but there's a lot of fans aboard to move the air around to keep the air healthy for us, and that's primarily what we hear-- the noise is from the different fans." Earlier ISS crew members have explained that the air-moving fans are necessary because of the lack of convection currents in the microgravity environment.

In all the students asked 22 questions, and as the event drew to a close, Maryam Aljoaan, 9K2MD, who coordinated the 10-minute radio contact at the center, thanked Williams for taking time to speak with the youngsters, who expressed their appreciation with applause. "Thank you so much! 73," Aljoaan said.

Serving as the Earth station for the Kuwait contact was Nancy Rocheleau, WH6PN, in Hawaii. Verizon Conferencing donated a teleconference link to handle two-way audio between Hawaii and Kuwait.

Listen to the contact between astronaut Jeff Williams, KD5TVQ, at NA1SS, and students visiting the Scientific Center of Kuwait: [9:38] (NOTE: Occasional echo on the audio apparently resulted from anomalies on the teleconference link.)

The Scientific Center of Kuwait, located in Salmiyah, is dedicated to advancement of the sciences and cultural heritage of Kuwait and promotes environmental awareness. It opened in 2000. On hand for the occasion -- in addition to the students -- were some 40 visitors, including members of the media.

The NA1SS signal was a bit noisy at the outset, but cleared up as the contact progressed. ARISS-Europe mentor Peter Kofler, IN3GHZ, called the event "a success in every aspect."

ARISS is a nine-nation international educational outreach, with US participation by ARRL, AMSAT and NASA.

Kids Day and AO-51***
The 2nd annual Kids Day operating event for 2006 takes place on June 17th and this year ham radio in space is getting into the act. This, with word that AMSAT will be taking part in the operation with the aim of introducing youngsters to satellite radio operation.

The plan is for amateur radio clubs around the world to set aside time to help children make contacts via the AMSAT OSCAR AO-51 ham radio satellite. In order to maximise the chances of the youngsters making these contacts, AMSAT is requesting that the Amateur Radio community give priority to stations that are operating with kids at the microphone.

During Kids Day, AO-51 will be configured to use the normal AO-51 uplink frequency with the PL tone turned ON. The uplink will be 145.920 MHz FM voice 67Hz PL Tone. The downlink will be 435.300 MHz FM voice. The digital transponder on 435.150MHz will be turned off during the Kids Day operating event.

Purpose: Kids Day is intended to encourage young people (licensed or not) to enjoy Amateur Radio. It can give young people hands-on on-the-air experience so they might develop an interest in pursuing a license in the future. It is intended to give hams a chance to share their station with their children.

Suggested exchange: Name, age, location and favorite color. You are encouraged to work the same station again if an operator has changed. Call "CQ Kid's Day."

Suggested Frequencies: 28350 to 28400 kHz, 21380 to 21400, 14270 to 14300 kHz and 2-meter repeater frequencies with permission from your area repeater sponsor. Observe third party traffic restrictions when making DX QSOs.

Reporting: Logs and comments may be posted on the Internet. Those without Internet access may forward comments to the Boring Amateur Radio Club (address below).

Awards: All participants are eligible to receive a colorful certificate (it becomes the child's personalized sales brochure on ham radio). You can download this certificate for free, customized with the kids' names, after filling out our Kid's Day Survey, or send a 9 X 12 SASE to: Boring Amateur Radio Club, PO Box 1357; Boring, OR 97009. More details may be obtained by joining the Kid's Day Reflector.

ARRL Foundation Scholarships: What They Mean to One Young Amateur*

Nathaniel Oster, KC0IEI, winner of the ARRL Scholarship to Honor Barry Goldwater.

With 45 scholarships available through the ARRL Foundation, Amateur Radio can and does impact many young lives. The recipient of the prestigious ARRL Scholarship to Honor Barry Goldwater in 2004 recounts his personal experiences on how the generosity of fellow amateurs is helping him achieve his goals.

Each year, QST publishes photos of nearly 40 young Amateur Radio operators who have been awarded scholarships by the American Radio Relay League Foundation. I am proud to have been awarded the 2004 Barry Goldwater Scholarship of $5000. Other awards range upward from $500 and are awarded to amateurs pursuing university educations. Some of you reading this may have contributed to the Foundation's 45 scholarship funds. Probably you have scanned the photos to see if one of your friends' children or perhaps a grandchild has received a scholarship.

But have you ever wondered what really happens to the money you contribute and to whom the scholarship is awarded? Have you wondered how your contribution affects the lives of those who receive a scholarship? And just how does it affect Amateur Radio?

This is a small snapshot of what really happened to me when I was awarded an ARRL Foundation scholarship and the immediate impact on my life and how the scholarship award affects Amateur Radio.

The author (left) and Gerog, KD5EZ, at DK8EY. Nathaniel traveled in Europe during a summer of study at Brunel University in England.

Of all my achievements during high school, I was more thrilled about receiving the Barry Goldwater Scholarship than any other. It was a confirmation that, in addition to my scholastic achievement, my extracurricular activities were important. It meant that things in the real world, outside of the classroom, affected my life and were meaningful, not just to me, but to others.

After receiving the scholarship, I enrolled at Iowa State University of Science and Technology to study materials science and engineering. Materials engineering is composed of four specialties: electromagnetic materials, ceramics, metals and polymers. Our discipline develops new materials and processes or finds new uses for existing materials in these four specialty areas. For example, a metals specialist might work to develop a new alloy or processing technique that could make a metal lighter and have improved electrical properties. Something like this could be ideal for an antenna. Someday I might be involved in developing a new product that will enhance communications and, ultimately, Amateur Radio!

The Goldwater Scholarship provided me with funding this past school year that allowed me to participate in the materials science department's study abroad program this summer. Approximately 15 students from Iowa State University get the chance to study at Brunel University in Uxbridge, England each summer. We complete two courses during the summer, Introduction to Materials and Women in US Industry. We also use the class as an opportunity to visit industries in England and compare them to US industries. In addition to providing me with two classes, I was also able to fill an international perspective requirement, which is needed for graduation.

While in Denmark, the author visited Frank Garbelmann, OZ2CBA (right).

It is this international perspective that is most important to me. Among my life experiences, I count Amateur Radio as one that helped open my eyes and ears to the world. What better and more accessible laboratory for exploring the world, its diverse people, its countries and its geography than Amateur Radio? Amateur Radio helps demonstrate that today we live in one big interconnected world. Further, it helps show me that if I am to be both personally successful and help the world be a better place to live and work, I must have an international perspective. The opportunity to combine my radio experiences with study abroad is a unique opportunity made possible by the ARRL Foundation and its scholarship program.

This summer of study in England included Amateur Radio. In addition to my classes at Brunel University, I traveled in several countries, including Norway, Denmark, Germany and France. In each, I looked for opportunities to meet other hams in places I'd often talked with but never visited. I found ham radio in person, as on the air, to be a great chance to meet new people. In Denmark, I visited Frank Garbelmann, OZ2CBA. We especially enjoyed meeting each other because Frank and his family started living in my home on a 2 year work assignment beginning this past fall.

In Germany, Georg Wenzlawiak, DK5EZ, and his wife Judith, DK4JT, and their sons hosted me for 3 days. We toured the beautiful Cologne-Düsseldorf area. Georg introduced me to Chris Huetten, DK8EY, and I had the opportunity to operate from Chris's shack as DL/KC0IEI, chatting on 20 meters with my father George, NP2N, and the rest of my family. That was a real thrill!

As I write this article from my dormitory in Uxbridge, I think about how fortunate I am for this opportunity to further my education and continue expanding my frontiers through ham radio. This opportunity is made possible by Amateur Radio and the ARRL Foundation. I hope each of you can understand the very real impact made by the scholarships awarded by the Foundation; an impact on a fellow ham and an impact on Amateur Radio. Your support and contribution to the ARRL Foundation are important!

Nathaniel Oster, KC0IEI, is pursuing his undergraduate degree in materials science engineering at Iowa State University of Science and Technology in Ames, Iowa. When his studies permit operating, he favors contesting, although his father, NP2N, would prefer he aspire to loftier goals such as becoming a DXer. His sister Jessica is K1JES.

New York City Scouting Camporee & Ham Radio*** Boy Scouts in New York City are coming to the ham bands for a very special event. On April 8th members of the New York City District Amateur Radio Emergency Service will be providing Amateur Radio support to Boy Scouts from the Theodore Roosevelt Council in Nassau County, New York. This, during their 2006 Camp-o-ree at historic Floyd Bennett Air Field.

The purpose of the event is to promote the Amateur Radio Service and help the Scouts gain the on the air experience necessary for earning their Radio Merit Badge rating. ARES members will provide High Frequency as well as VHF, UHF and packet stations for demonstration and hands-on use by the Scouts.

The Scouts will be calling CQ on both 20 and 40 meters from approximately 14:00 to 21:00 UTC. They will be calling on 14.255 and 7.255 Megahertz, both plus or minus 15 Kilohertz.

The QSL Manager for the operation is Mike Lisenco, N2YBB whose address is good in the latest callbook. Please include a self-addressed stamped envelope when requesting a card.

Members of the Kings County Radio Club, who meet monthly at Floyd Bennett Field, will also be on hand to support the event. Also, please kep in mind that each Scout participating I the outing will be attempting to get at least a three minute QSO as part of their merit badge requirements. So please give them a hand by answering their calls.

ISS Expedition 12 Commander Bill McArthur, KC5ACR, at the controls of the Phase 2 ARISS station NA1SS.

KC5ACR Works 35th School From Space***
Twelve students at Canada's Sir James Lougheed Elementary School, talked with ISS Expedition 12 Commander Bill McArthur, KC5ACR, on March 21st. The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station program had arranged the direct QSO between VE6AFO at the school with school principal Deb Warmington at the microphone, and McArthur operating as NA1SS in space:

One student named Emma wanted to know if the astronauts could warn people from the space station about hurricanes and other bad weather so we could avoid the New Orleans disaster in the future?

McArthur: "We can certainly see hurricanes and other bad weather from the space station although fortunately it is more important we rely on satellites whose primary job is to just look for bad weather."

A Sir Lougheed Elementary School youngster asks her question of Bill McArthur, KC5ACR, at NA1SS.

On a question from one student who asked about recycling on the space station, McArthur explained that they recycle water to get oxygen, which they breath, and the paper they use for their computer printers--"we always print on both sides!" But the one that likely will be long remembered came from a 6th grader named Sarah:

Sarah: "Im Sarah from grade 6. My question is, how do you brush your teeth in space? Over."

McArthur: "Sarah, I brush my teeth just as you do with a tooth-brush that probably loks very much like yours and I don't tell anybody, but I just use regular crest toothpaste up here although we do have some Colgate if you like that taste better. "

According to Ken Oelke, VE6AFO, the team of radio amateurs coordinated their efforts through QCWA Wild Rose Chapter 151. They set up the satellite station at the school which included automatic antenna tracking on the primary station. The equipment was located in the school gymnasium, where an audience of 300 students, parents, grandparents, teachers and other dignitaries followed the contact. These included representatives from First Air and WestJet who made it possible for ARISS Mentor Steve McFarlane, VE3TBD and his wife Lori to attend from Ottawa, Ontario. The NA1SS signal was loud and clear throughout the nearly 9- minute contact, which drew cheers and applause from students and audience as it ended:

Deb Warmington: "Lets give a big cheer for Commander McArthur and the space station. (Applause)

The contact attracted the attention of news media, local newspapers, Calgary Board of Education and even a Member of the Canadian Parliament. The Sir James Lougheed Elementary School contact marked the 35th ARISS School QSO that Bill McArthur has handled. That's a record for any member of an ISS crew.

Eight-year-old Janet Kaeding operates on ARRL Kid's Day at W8KIT, the Heathkit Amateur Radio Group in Stevensville, Michigan.

Kid's Roundup Contest '06*
The Kid's Roundup Contest, held the first Saturday in April, is just around the corner. Sponsored by Maryland's Anne Arundel Radio Club Jr, the object of this operating event is to exchange QSO information with as many kids as possible. The target date for announcing the contest results is at the Dayton Hamvention "Youth in Amateur Radio" forum. We'd like to hear about your Kid's Roundup Contest experiences, too: awextra@arrl.org.

Dayton Hamvention Fast Approaching: May 19-21*
For many, it's almost time to make the annual pilgrimage to Ohio for the Dayton Hamvention. In case you've never been, you should know that it's the largest ham radio gathering in the world, and there are tons of things for young people to do.

Last year, there was a Youth Forum, a Youth Booth in the ARRL EXPO area, and for the first time, a Youth Dinner. Several of these attractions and more will be returning this year, so don't miss it!

To get an idea about what Dayton is like, watch Icom's video of the 2005 Hamvention. Visit the Dayton Hamvention Web site to learn more. You can even order tickets online.

Cincinnati Country Day became "mission control" Wednesday {March 1} for a linkup with the space station. The screen shows Bill McArthur, who conducted a live question-and-answer session.

Long-Distance Lesson (Cindy Kranz; Cincinnati Enquirer)

Cincinnati Country Day students had a close encounter Wednesday {March 1} when they spoke to an astronaut on the International Space Station.

Twelve students in grades 3-5 were selected to ask questions of astronaut Bill McArthur while he orbited 250 miles above Earth at 17,000 mph. Their classmates listened in as a ham radio operator in Kingston, Australia, made the live connection for them.

"I was really excited and a little nervous," said Lucy Patterson, 10, a fourth-grader who asked McArthur about the coolest, hardest and scariest things he does on the space station.

The answer: "They're all the same thing - space walks. ... It's cool, but it's a little scary if you worry about losing your grip and floating away from the space station," McArthur said. "And also, physically, it's the hardest work we do."

The school had been on a two-year waiting list to talk to an astronaut on the space station, said Jan French, a science teacher who led the effort.

As complicated as it was arranging logistics, it was almost as difficult to choose which students got to ask questions. The 130 students each submitted three. French chose questions she didn't know the answers to or couldn't find out.

What do you do in your free time? "We really like to look out the window and take pictures of the Earth," McArthur said. "We have the ability to make telephone calls so I call my family every day. ... I like to get on the amateur radio as often as possible and talk to a lot of different people on the ground."

Tell us something most people don't know about the space station. "The inside of the space station is about the size of a three-bedroom house."

What can I do to become a great astronaut? "That's easy. Be the best student that you can be."

"I can tell everyone I actually talked to an astronaut," an excited Kelsey Bardach, a 9-year-old fourth-grader, said after the assembly.

The event fit right into the fourth-grade space unit. Students also have been writing poetry about space and launched a rocket earlier Wednesday.

The school held a contest to design a mission patch that was to be made into a button for each student to wear during the assembly. Each space shuttle crew designs its own patch to represent their mission, and that patch is sewn onto their flight suits.

French encouraged students to think of the contact with McArthur as their own space mission.

"I hope that they make a personal connection to science and to being an astronaut and maybe coming to understand that they, too, can become a scientist. ... They're normal people just like everybody else."

Youth Ham Radio Project Ready To Run In South Africa***
An empowerment project using Amateur Radio as a catalyst to encourage young people to become more involved in science and technology with the ultimate aim to lead more learners into xcience, engineering and technology careers is ready to run in South Africa.

De Heide Primary School in Bredasdorp is the first school running with what is called the Kopanang project and has lined up teachers and students to take the Radio Amateur Course.

The word "Kopanang" is a Sesotho word meaning building bridges or bringing people together and that is what Amateur Radio does, bringing people together to engage in Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) activities.

The objective is to run a course in the evenings for teachers and ex- matriculants and after a few months to introduce a course for learners during two afternoons a week", Headmaster Etienne Rheinicke said. "I believe that train the trainer concept will give us a much larger coverage than simply running one class".

The evening course will be conducted by Leon Korkie, ZS1MM, of the South African Radio League while the some of the teachers will run the afternoon course.

The evening group will sit the Radio Amateur Examination in May and the learners in November.

De Heide Primary School is just one of 9 schools in the first phase of the Department of Communication's Kopanang project. As part of the project the Department has equipped each school with a complete amateur radio station as well as basic electronic test equipment".

St. Aloysius Ham Club Roundup (Bob Myers, K4RVM/Buddy Sohl, KC4WQ)
Louisville, KY - The radios were busy at the St. Aloysius Ham Club as they participated in the School Roundup. Students made 351 QSO's... that's radio contacts in ham lingo. There were 19 club operators ranging from ages 8 to 15. Everyone had fun, learned a lot and the roundup was a great success.

The highlight of the contest was talking to a 96 year old amateur radio operator who has been a ham for 80 years. They also talked to a ham who had been licensed for 70 years.

But that wasn't all the fun. They talked with hams from 13 club stations, 36 schools, 46 states, 4 Canadian Provinces and even 6 countries! One student operator even got to speak to a foreign ham in Spanish!

Altogether, their contesting earned the club 91,962 points. Last year, they got 41,008, so they more than doubled their efforts and fun this year.

Want to know about the club and see some great pictures of the hams in action? Check out the St. Aloysius School Ham Club web site!

Middle-Schooler Puts New Ham Radio License To Work After Storm (Relma Hargus; The Advocate; Baton Rouge, LA)
Michael Taboada�s expertise as a licensed amateur radio operator proved useful during Hurricane Katrina.

The Glasgow Middle School seventh-grader earned his FCC-granted technician class license last year.

"Basically what I did was relay messages between people who needed to contact each other but couldn�t," Michael said.

The usual reason for failing to be able to contact each other was either "they didn�t know how to find each other" or they were too far away from each other, Michael said.

Michael said initially he was merely following the conversations on the two repeaters active during the hurricane on his personal ham radio equipment.

"I was listening on and off, whenever I could," he said. "I started with a fully charged battery so I had 16 hours."

If Michael had not earlier passed the test, which demonstrated his knowledge of basic regulations, operating practices and electronics theory, he could only have listened to the conversations.

Without his own call sign, earned by passing the test, he would have been unable to help without supervision of a licensed operator. "Whenever I had a chance, if anyone needed help I could help them."

Ruth Merrell, manager of volunteers and community services with the Louisiana Capital Area chapter of the American Red Cross, said, "If it weren�t for the ham radio operators during Hurricane Katrina we would have been in real trouble because all communications had broken down."

n When Michael realized radio operators at the Red Cross headquarters were switching to a different repeater, he offered to tell each of the Red Cross shelters about the change. Headquarters accepted the offer.

n For "some strange reason," Michael said, the Louisiana Emergency Office of Communications and the Texas EOC became unlinked.

"The Texas EOC was trying to call in and I happened to be listening in. I relayed the messages."

"I was just glad I could do a part," Michael said. "Confirm something or do something."

9 Year Old Australian Earns Ham Ticket***
A nine-year-old has become the youngest to qualify for an Australian amateur radio license. According to Amateur Radio Victoria, Janice Ampt attended training and assessment conducted by Melbourne's North East Radio Group. This lead to her passing the exam and she is now awaiting her callsign.

Janice will be a third generation ham. She is the daughter of Mike Ampt, VK3CH, and grand-daughter of VK3IV.