[Add Soapbox Entry]

Click on a year below to view a list of soapbox entries.

2023  2022  2021  2020  2019  2018  2017  2016  2015  2014  2013  

Soapbox for 2017
Note: If you are concerned about a Soapbox comment, please contact the ARRL Contest Manager.

AD8B  
My thanks to all the schools that participated.
 
AG7HP  
This week Caldwell High School participated in an amateur radio
contest called the ARRL School Club Roundup.  Approximately 15
students from the CHS Engineering and Robotics classes spent their
afternoons and evenings, every day this week, making radio contact
with other stations from across the continent.

Contest Objective: To exchange QSO information (station call sign,
location, and signal report) with other school and club stations that
are part of an elementary, middle, high school or college.  A points
system is used to score each contact and the student radio station was
allowed to operate for a cumulative of 24 hours over a five day
period.   It was also encouraged to contact non-school clubs and
individuals, although they didn't score as highly. Students earned
almost 30k points in the competition this week while "working" several
hundred stations from 42 different US states including Hawaii, Canada,
Mexico, and the Dominican Republic.

CHS junior Kelsey Ferro said at the conclusion of the event, "I really
enjoyed the opportunity to use the knowledge of radios I learned in
Mr. Z's class.  This was one of the coolest and nerdiest things I can
gladly say I've done.  From stringing the antenna from the roof to
using the radio and talking to new people, these kind of opportunities
are why I love engineering".
 
DL0ESA  
Greetings to all the students and to all the hams. All the best from the European Space Agency -
Operations Centre (ESOC) in Germany.
 
K0UND  
"Other Digital" is FT-8 and SSTV
 
K3GCC  
Student operators: Caleb Nasman, Miriam Tan, Noah Rosamilia, Ben Green.  Guest supervisor: Tim Duffy
K3LR
 
K3TW  
"Greetings from warm and sunny Florida."
 
K4WBM  
This was my first time doing the log for my CLUB.  Please excuse any problems and let me know ASAP
through my email if I have made any gross errors. 

Our kids LOVED the SCR this year!!!  Great contacts everyone.
 
K5LBJ  
LASA High enjoyed seeing so many new schools on the air this SCR.  In fact, we worked 52 schools
which is second only to the 53 we worked in the 2005 SCR.  And, great coordination among schools
using SCR-Chat. Always hoping to work Alaska.  Maybe next year.  Students made 920 QSOs in low
sunspots.  Proud of them! 73, KC5EES (Trustee, K5LBJ)
 
K5LMS  
Fewer student operators, but two: Amelia and Isabel made probably 80% or more of out contacts,
working pileups every day mostly without prompting from any of our three licensed operators!
 
K7UL  
2nd operator KI7QNT
 
K8TGR  
Had a great time, doubled our points since Feb.   New goal to double
again next time out.   Each student club member made at least 2 
contacts during the event and even asked to come back on a second
day.   Awesome!
 
K8YSU  
We had a great time. More students on the air this semester and making great contacts. The bands
weren't great and our antenna was a compromise but we enjoyed ourselves. It was fun talking to the
other schools on the air and working the DX.
 
KA1SG  
Norman Clanton, KA1SG is one of our instructor/advisers. We used his call for the contest.
 
KD2HWZ  
Im never surprised how great it is to see student smile when they are part of the team. Grace &
Blessing from KD2HWZ
 
KD8NOM  
Our best SCR to date! Many QSO's despite no sunspots! 30 brand new members got on the air during the
week.
 
KK4BZ  
power=80 W, grid=FM18eu, antenna=dipole, equipment=TS570S,
comment=antenna is G5RV at 35 ft in trees, Thanks for the fun!
 
KM4RE  
As always, SCR was an amazing event for our students. For some reason, the interest level was less
this time. We had a total of 5 students participate, although the bulk of the station operation was
done by just two students. Both of these students took part in the event last year as fourth graders
and spent considerable time in the weeks previous to this fall's SCR mapping out ways to improve on
their past performances. I think that this part is as much fun for me to watch as the event itself.
We save all of the data from past roundups, things like contacts/per day and average QSO/hour. After
each roundup is finished, we always have a "debriefing" to discuss things that worked well and ideas
on how to improve in the future. They take meticulous notes on this. The students then analyze this
information and map out a plan. They really approach it as a competition, not against other schools,
but against themselves. There was some disappointment that they fell a bit short of the club's best,
but they also understand that even the best plan can be hindered by poor band conditions like we
experienced several times during the contest. I cannot overstate how much I appreciate those folks
who take their time to make the School Club Roundup possible.
 
KM4TAY  
The kids had lots of fun! We have 30 kids trying to cram around 1 radio, so hopefully we’ll have
more radios and more kids talking in the Spring!
 
KR8ZE  
it was great working the kids and we learned a lot during this event. I hope everyone that
participated in some form or manner enjoyed the Fall SCR this year.  

I will be trying to figure out a better way to be more efficient and I am certainly looking forward
to the Feb 18 SCR 

73,
 
N0HCS  
Harbor City Radio Club had a great week and was happy to make many digital contacts across the
United States and Canada with our group of high schoolers and a few Elmers keeping us going strong.
We were able to put in 3 days working around 6 hours each day. Thanks to everyone for a fun event!
 
N2RQ  
Very little operating time, but at least I was able to keep my record of participating in every SCR
session.  Thanks to all who participated. We appreciate all entries - large and small.
 
N8PVL  
Check Log
 
ND8GA  
Every February and October we enjoy participating in the Roundup, and encourage our students to
observe or participate as much as possible.  We remain grateful for those whose dedication make this
friendly school competition possible.  ND8GA
 
ON7DQ  
Since I retired, I no longer run  the school club ON4HTI, but it was still fun to make some qso's
during SCR Week !
 
W0QQQ  
Members of the Kansas State University Amateur Radio club had a great time participating in this
year's school club roundup.  Our new ICOM IC-7300 arrived during the week and got a great workout on
the air.  Getting this first new radio in over 20 years was a much-anticipated moment for our club. 
We can't wait to get on the air in February with even more participation.
 
W2HJ  
This is Simon Savitt KD2OAY. The faculty advisor (Joe Ciccone) of my university ham radio club is
blind and so we did not use logging software. I did not know exactly what information the cabrillo
log required when participating in the contest so there is some data that I cannot provide.

The checks, precedences of individuals, and QSO numbers of my contacts are unknown. ARRL sections
are based on the state my contacts listed they were in and an FCC license data lookup. I conducted
RS reports but the given template does not indicate that I should be including them. My 3rd QSO
(DL6MHG) is a DX station in Germany so I am unsure as to whether I can provide an ARRL section.
 
W4DFU  
It was my first time participating in School Club Roundup, and Monday was even my first time working
sideband! 

We're looking forward to the next Roundup in February with more students participating. See you on
the air!
 
W4LID  
73 de W4LID
 
W5AC  
W5AC had a lot of fun during the School Club Roundup! We had a couple hams new to contesting call CQ
and they did great. We also had a few work our first digital contacts in a long time. Thank you
everyone for the contacts. 73 from Aggieland! Whoop!
 
W5FMH  
Good Conditions fun Contest Very relaxed and great to hear the kids on air
 
W5KS  
Everyone had a great time.  Had a lot less time to prepare for this one. Thanks everyone.

Paul /KC5CYY
 
W6BHZ  
Fell at a bad time of the term for us this time around. Hope to be able to commit more time to it
next year!
 
W6SHS  
We had a great time.
 
W7PV  
Suggest contacts made solely by non-students at schools/school clubs not be counted for school
club/school awards.
 
W8EDU  
There were about 40 participants, most of whom were new to amateur radio. Bands were up and down and
we didn't hear as many school stations as last spring. Lots of fun!
 
W8GYH  
Our school had a lot of fun participating in this contest!
 
W8MHS  
Great SCR! Got two students on the air and made their first QSO
 
W8PZS  
After many years of inactivity, the Ohio University Amateur Radio Club has been revived and, we are
excited to be on the air again! Thanks to everyone who was patient with us as we battled tough band
conditions and equipment problems.
 
W8SH  
Additional operation provided by unlicensed ops Linan and Steven.
 
W8UM  
umarc.eecs.umich.edu
 
W9BGX  
First Attempt At Writelog12
 
W9GRS  
Hard to believe our 9th year doing this!  We had 21 students make
multiple qso's and utilized 7 different modes to make qso's!
We added Maine to our total of worked states with schools operating.
We are now just 5 away from WAS with school stations!
 
WD5IAD  
Our time was limited but we enjoyed the contest.