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Soapbox for 2021
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N4SMS |
No high power HF amplifier, no beam antennas at 60 feet. As far as equipment, just a 100 watt ICOM 7300 and an out of production 80m Carolina Windom wire antenna strung between pine trees. A group of young women and one young man took on the ARRL School Club Roundup. One of them has a General FCC license. All are part of the Schofield Middle School Radio Club, N4SMS in Aiken, SC. Normally during this semiannual event, experience Elmers from the clubs sponsor, North Augusta-Belvedere Radio club are on hand to provide their expertise and oversight. Not this time due to COVID-19 restrictions. The group made almost contacts, talked to hams in 47 states. This was done in 5 afternoons. Remarkable, since we hear from many hams that ??the HF bands are dead?. Not so to this team They worked their tails off to make each and every contact! HAM radio is not dead. With the enthusiasm and effort seen with these students, HAM radio can grow and flourish. |
VA3UOT [photo/doc] |
We are pleased to have heard and worked many school stations this spring. Most of the stations on 20m closer to us were not heard, so we could not work them. Very happy to hear a diverse set of modes such as CW, PSK31 as well as OLIVIA! 73, VA3UOT at the University of Toronto |
W4LMS |
For Spring 2021 SCR, W4LMS operated from our Football Field's concession stand: it was a heated location on campus that allowed our community volunteers access to assist us. And just like the Fall SCR, we operated on "100 watts and a Wire" with battery power and this Spring, with an Off Center Fed Dipole at 15 feet. And once again, RRC operated with an all-female crew on the radio. Our school and community support continues to amaze us. For all of those who didn't have the opportunity to operate this Spring, you were missed and we pray for better conditions for all for the Fall. We hope to see you on the air! 73 from W4LMS |
W5AC |
Howdy from Aggieland! W5AC was thankful to work School Club Roundup this year, although conditions weren't too great and we couldn't get our radio on our Oceanography and Meteorology building to work. Thanks for putting this on, we hope to catch everyone down the log! 73 and gig 'em |
W8EDU |
Quiet contest on our end due to pandemic limitations and reduced campus capacity, but we were still able to get some new hams to the station, including two first year students. One student is a biology student, the other electrical engineering. The faculty advisor is just glad that in the days of the virus, we could participate at all. The one typing this is a fourth year engineering physics major; I'll be graduating this May, but I'd like to note that it's because of contesting that I got into ham radio my freshman year, and it's because of ham radio that I got really interested in electrical engineering/physics. So this will likely be my last SCR as an undergrad, and what a great experience it's been. |