School Club Roundup February 9, 2010
Results as of Tuesday February, 9 2010 for the ARRL School Club Roundup amateur radio contest.
W6RFU
Operating Hours: 3.23
Voice Contacts: 86
Digital Contacts: 0
Current Score: 6,880
27 States Contacted
3 Provinces Contacted
10 School Clubs Contacted
W7YH
W7YH now done with Day 2:
25 states, 1 province, 6 countries
49 individuals, 2 clubs, 13 schools
6 phone, 59 digital
For a total of 12,524pts with 11.969hrs of operating so far.
I'll be operating W7YH again tomorrow from around 8:30am-2:30pm PST. Probably mostly PSK but I might try a little phone.
W1YK
W1YK Day 1:
12 states, 1 province, 10 countries
28 individuals, 6 schools
4 phone, 30 digital
time: 4.6 hours
53x64=3392
I started out on 20M looking for schools, then I moved to 40M PSK and worked 17 European stations (quite the pileup, it was all with one single CQ!)
K2GXT
1:29 PM, Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Operating Hours: 5.74
Voice Contacts: 8
Digital Contacts: 16
Current Score: 2,280
15 States Contacted:
ALABAMA, ALASKA, ARIZONA, ARKANSAS, FLORIDA, IOWA, KANSAS, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OKLAHOMA, OREGON, TEXAS, WASHINGTON
2 Countries Contacted:
BELGIUM, SPAIN
8 School Clubs Contacted:
K5LSU KD0JCD ON4HTI W0ISU W5YD W7ASU W7YH WD5AGO
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Amateur Radio, Networking, and You
This is the first installment of a series of blog posts discussing how networking with amateur radio can benefit you professionally. The value of this series will be greatly improved by readers discussing their experiences and views of the topic. It couldn't be easier to add your views and experiences if you have a Facebook profile. So no excuses!
Point 1: What Amateur Radio Offers Professionally
So your interested in obtaining your amateur radio license (ham radio) and think it's just a hobby. I'm sorry, you couldn't be more wrong. Ham radio is comparable to that key chain your high school custodian lugged around; it opens way too many doors. To be honest, any hobby that exercises skills which can be extended beyond the hobby itself is worthy of mention. However, focusing on ham radio, I will point out just some of the doors this wonderful hobby peaks behind in each post.
Door One: Hands on Experience
Behind door one would be the opportunity to learn with hands on experience. Taking a pencil and paper test is one thing, actually applying your knowledge is another. Designing a circuit on the computer or paper means the math is done but not necessarily that the circuit works. Having skills such as soldering and prototyping are just several that can only be taught by hours upon hours of failing to do it right.
Door Two: Social Commonality
Door two holds a more social aspect. We are communicators. We converse together whether it's by dit's and dahs, English or Spanish, or even one's and zero's; it's all the same. Building up social networks with the help of amateur radio is a key aspect to my point being made. There is a commonality between amateur radio operators, we already showed the desire to pass a test to obtain a license which shows professionalism on your behalf. Also as a community we constantly learn about our interest which shows a desire to learn new things. There are many other commonalities I could mention but those are the big ones. Feel free to suggest your own which we can touch upon in later posts.
Your Thoughts
Now that I have made my point, it's time to let me know what you think. Has amateur radio ever helped you land a job? Where you able to obtain inside contacts when applying to college? Please expand on the questions and you see fit. I would like to know how you feel ham radio has benefited your life. Whether your in college or remembering what college was like 30 years ago, by all means voice your opinion! Any reader can comment with or without a Facebook profile. Lastly, my brother Brent, KB1LQD, went out on a limb and wrote Engineering Amateur Radio Today for www.CollegeARC.com which I highly suggest reading. Engineering Amateur Radio Today brings up potentially touchy views that are KEY to the progression of ham radio. Our aim is to stir up conversation about topics important to promoting amateur radio and to advance the hobby.
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Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!
Merry Christmas!
Those of us behind the scenes here at www.CollegeARC.com would like to wish all a Merry Christmas and happy holidays! It's the season of giving rather than receiving (unless it's DX of course). We decided to throw a little holiday cheer into the CollegeARC logo for all to enjoy. Please share your comments on what your doing this holiday season. Do you think any new radios or accessories are on their way? Are any of you traveling to see family?
Brent (KB1LQD) and myself want to extend an extra special thank you to everyone involved with www.CollegeARC.com. This website would not be possible without the interaction from you. Enjoy an extra glass of eggnog, have a cookie, and by all means fire up the tube amplifier because it's getting cold! See you on the bands.
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Go Archive Yourself!
Archiving is important
Hopefully the title didn't offend anyone. So what is a club to do with it's past, present, and inevitable future (you are considering the future...right?) One of the reasons www.CollegeARC.com was established was due to the high turnover rate of college and university ham radio clubs. It's unavoidable so don't try and push off a course of action for the path that your club is following. Always consider what will happen to the club when every one of the current members graduates. Archiving your clubs past will seal it's activity as a part of the campus forever while giving future leaders an idea of how your club operated.
As in the case with Rochester Institute of Technology we have the RIT Archives as a part of the Wallace Library. Now, the only reason I keep using RIT as an example is that I am a student and have personal experience with many RIT amenities. If anyone has their own experiences to share then by all means please do so I would enjoy writing about it! Slowly, I am working with the archives to store the important history of K2GXT. They had a copy of our original constitution from 1954 and recently obtained a copy of our current 2009 constitution. Yes, K2GXT was following a 1954 constitution until 2009!
While working with the archive I had looked through some of the old photos and noticed a photo of the old downtown Rochester campus where a highway now resides. There was an old shack on top of an institute building which was dated circa late 1940's. K2GXT was established in 1953 which is close enough to be mistaken for the late 40's. I also have established relationships with several alumni of K2GXT and after circulating the photo determined that is was the only known photograph of the original K2GXT station!
See what archiving your clubs history can do? There are still hours of work to put into cataloging and submitting K2GXT history but it's well worth the effort. Your club can benefit from this too. If there happens to be a point in time when there are no members of the university's club, much of the history will leave with it's former members. Archiving this history is one way to preserve it. However, we here at CollegeARC hope that from participation within the community your club never again sees a lull in activity!
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Clutter In The Clubroom
K2GXT tunnel outside clubroom with just part of the mess.
Imagine the following scene. Opening the door to the club station you notice the door bumps against something as it swings forward. “Ah! I forgot to move the rusty repeater the club owned in 1982!” you exclaim; at the same time wriggling through the doorway into the room. Flipping on the light switch you take notice of the decades of successful radio, electronics, and other assorted equipment collecting by past and present club members. Congratulations on owning a 12 foot by 8 foot junk box.
K2GXT clubroom Desk Fall 2007 with old unnused and/or broken radio gear.
Clubs are a collaborative effort. They take years to establish and decades to perfect. Along the way good intentions get the better of us all and university students are not excluded. Ham radio enjoys a large percentage of people who like to build projects; often the projects pertain to radio but this is not always the case. We all have a time where after obtaining someone else's junk, namely your treasure, intended to be put into a project but in the end you get busy and it never gets done. Do this over the course of fifty years and jeez, it adds up!
One of the best ways to correct this is to make it a club event. Club room cleanup days can make monotonous and often laborious tasks fun for everyone. Well, it may not be THAT much fun but its a heck of a lot more enjoyable than doing it alone. It's nice to get permission from the proper authorities (i.e. club advisor, president, etc) to get rid of equipment that is cluttering the club room. First off give members a chance to grab what they want from the dumpster pile. Just do this under the condition that the equipment can't be stored in the club room. We all know where that leads too and it can be counterproductive. Recycle as much as possible and find a dumpster you're allowed to dispose trash from your club into for the rest.
K2GXT clubroom even had three Rhon 25 tower section in the room, they are still there but hung up on the wall as shelves.
Clutter free club rooms are efficient club rooms and as my rowing coach (RIT Crew) always says "A clean boat is a fast boat!" More members can fit into the space and it becomes a showcase for prospective radio amateurs rather than the equivalent of a walk-in closet for junk parts. Winning the award for the messiest shack isn't exactly prestigious! Good luck to all who are affected by messy club rooms, you may just need all luck you can get 
Never Judge A Book By Its Cover
As amateur radio grows many of it's participants will continue to mention the hobby's decline. Something to keep in mind is that enthusiasm is a key part of any effort to promote not only YOUR club but the hobby too. Being upbeat while promoting will positively effect efforts of membership to the radio club. Here are some ideas to store away, subconsciously to instill a bit more success when trying to recruit students into the hobby.
Amateur radio covers a vast age group. While the average age is in the mid forty's there are many older “hams” as well as younger (you should know, your one of them!). Some clubs will fall into a recruitment hole, I see it at local clubs around me in Massachusetts. Members or at least influentially ranking members will view the radio world through their own eyes, as they see it. Pitfall. There is almost no way that an older generation will successfully advertise ham radio to the younger generation without immense cooperation between younger leaders. So club advisors, find the students who are leaders, self motivated, and organized; work with them not through them.
Who reading this blog wants to talk to someone with a “Ben Stein” from the Viseen commercials on the radio. I'm sure he's an awesome guy but monotony doesn't sell (unless your Ben Stein). Enthusiasm rubs off onto others. There's only one chance to make a first impressions so use it wisely. Given some practice, working with people will be a breeze let alone fun!
Treat your club like a business. Remember that successful clubs offer quality and support just like any good company does. The quality keeps new and current members alike all coming back while supporting them keeps activity up and creativity flowing. Make goals and stick to them. With some time management it's amazing what can be completed with ten minutes here and there; people will think you spent hours working on it.
Keeps these tips in mind. Heck if you readers have any you would like to share please comment! I am always looking for more things to talk about. Plus, sharing your techniques helps us all learn more about effective club promotion. One final note, clubs with high number membership are never as successful as clubs with high quality membership.
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Does Your Club Have a Constitution?
Starting or continuing a college or university amateur radio club is a large endeavor if it is to be approached correctly. Make no mistake, this does not mean it has to be daunting or impossible. The first step to a successful club is laying down the foundation. Therefore, every club should have a constitution. Your school may or may not require one to be an official club. Regardless, according to the ARRL you must have a constitution if the club wishes to be ARRL affiliated. For non-US clubs check with your national radio club/regulator.
Example College & University Club Constitutions
Here are a few examples of college and university amateur radio club constitutions. Use them for ideas on content as well as formatting styles. It is also a good idea to post your radio clubs constitution online in several formats include Adobe PDF, HTML, and MS Word.
- University of Florida ARC - Gator Radio - W4DFU Constitution
- Iowa State University - Cyclone ARC - W0ISU Constitution
- Rochester Institute of Technology - K2GXT Constitution
Genuine thought should be put into the content of a college/university ham radio club constitution. If there are any issues with the club, they can be resolved easily provided they were taken into account when writing the document. Put some "elbow grease" into it!
ARRL Affiliation (US Stations)
If seeking ARRL affiliation is a goal of the school's ham radio club, reading the information presented by the ARRL affiliation web page is a must. The club must have a constitution which can be the most time consuming part of the affiliation process. One of the best parts about school clubs becoming affiliated is that only one member must the an ARRL member as opposed to the normal 51% required for non-school clubs. It's a simple process that should be looked at. Again, non United States stations should check with their nations frequency regulator and ham radio club.
Has YOUR ham radio club thought about getting a constitution?
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What Do You Want From CollegeARC?
We are a community which is not only new but at a point where everyone is pliable The CollegeARC.com community of students, alumni, faculty, and staff actively participating with each other need to start thinking about how we can all utilize the resources given to us. Growing the College Amateur Radio Club Association is a responsibility of the participating college and university clubs.
Tell Us What You Want!
It's as simple as that. In order for the community to head in the appropriate direction it needs to know where to go. Anyone can comment regardless of being a part of www.CollegeARC.com or not. So let us know what you think www.CollegeARC.com should do, what university and college ARC's should be focusing on, and anything else you find important. If preferred we are always reachable at contact@collegearc.com. We're listening!
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QSL Cards
Every college or university radio club should have a QSL card. It's a time proven tradition that even with the advent of eQSL and Logbook of The World (LoTW) still marches on. Operating for just a few years can amount to owning quite the collection of QSL cards; some being rare, some being funny, some being homemade, and some being printed masterpieces. Whatever yours are, they represent your club.
W7ASU Arizona State University QSL Card
Defining Style
What represents your campus? How can your club show itself on a 3x5 inch piece of paper? These are good questions to ask during a club meeting. There are several approaches to deciding on how your QSL card should look and feel. It might be better to have a simple design since it costs less and is easier to design. Other clubs may want a defining style for their card, W7ASU the Arizona State University QSL card is a full color picture of a bridge on the ASU campus. When someone displays this card on their wall it's sure to stand out.
K2GXT Rochester Institute of Technology former QSL card
K2GXT the Rochester Institute of Technology had quite the unique QSL card for many years. While the club no longer uses it, it sure stands out. The photograph was actually a postcard created for Rochester, NY back in the 1980's. It depicts Rochester, NY and it's technology industry at the time with a rendition of the city as a circuit board. Many members of the Rochester Amateur Radio Association (RARA) also obtained this card.
Where to Purchase QSL Cards
A good rule I like to follow, take it with a grain of salt, "You only have one chance to make a first impression". It' served well. Promoting your club as professionally as possible is an important aspect of getting known. So before photocopying 500 QSl cards think about making an investment in professionally made ones.
A cheap one or two color design is a great starting point. The full color QSL cards show on this post are not the status quo. Check out the following links for some great QSL card offers.
- CheapQSLS - $9.99 for 100 black ink QSL cards
- QSL Factory
- QSL Man W4MPY
- Rusprint - $15.99 for 100 black ink QSL card shipping included
Collect College QSL Cards
Do you have a bunch of QSL cards from colleges lying around? share which ones you have. Which one has your favorite design? How about who has the oldest QSL card from a college or university amateur radio station? Let us know by commenting!
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ARRL Promotional Publications
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) provides a host of services to radio amateurs. One of these services includes free event publications which can be ordered for no more than the cost of shipping. Are you planning on attending a campus club fair or hosting a special event with your radio club and want promotional materials to incorporated into the display? Look no further than the ARRL event publications website.
College Oriented Publications
The brochures and other publications available offer a wide variety of topics covering many demographics. Several of these I have found to work particularly well when promoting amateur radio (ham radio) to college students. For my situation, I attend Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Rochester, NY where the campus consists not only of a large population of engineering & technology students but also art & design students. Therefor simply touting all the technological "coolness" of amateur radio just wont hack it. How does your campus respond when promoting the hobby?
We Do That!
We Do that!
We use a number of We Do That! brochures at club fairs. They are flashy, up-to-date, and grab the students attention. We Do That! is a great example of meshing the technology with a bit of coolness mixed in. Some ARRL productions go overboard trying to show how cool radio is, this is not one of them! The link above shows a PDF version of the brochure which can also be printed. We Do that! is an essential publication that every college, university, or other higher educational institutions should have on hand.
"Hello"
Hello ARRL Promotion
"Hello" is the recent effort by the ARRL to appeal to a younger generation. While some of the materials were well suited for pre-teens, this one came in pretty good for promoting to higher education students. The "Hello" brochure is less technical and more general topic oriented.
Why Use These Publications?
Well, free is a good price for most college students. The only cost is shipping so order several at once and it really pays off. These are professional looking promotional items and they save you the time of creating your own. Use them in conjunction with your own clubs material too. Lastly, there are many different items including "PR kits", brochure stands, banners, magnets, etc. Get your club recognized by the campus student body, promote amateur radio, help your amateur radio club GROW!
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