Need help getting a Ham Radio Club in school!!!!

[KB1NZW]

:confused:Can someone give me advice to starting a Ham club and convincing the Principal?
Thanks
de KB1NZW

[KU0DM]

First, what grade are you in?

It is more likely that you will be able to start a club in High school for several reasons:

A) Class time is more flexible due to the fact many students compact or do summer courses, giving them free time

B) You'll be there longer to see that club gets going, if you started one at Middle school you'd be gone before it could really get it's base established (it will take more than 1 year)

C) It is more likely that radio could be tied into a high school curriculum since most of the math and physics in radio is high school level.

D) The principal will most likely be very open to the idea, most high school principals have to because of such a large number of kids with different interests who would probably want to start a club.

Good luck!

--Duncan, KU0DM

[KB1NZW]

Thanks Ducan,
I'm going into the 8th Grade. So I will try my luck in High school. And I never thought of the math part.
Thanks,
KB1NZW

[KB1LQD]

NZW,
I agree with Ku0dm, Give it a shot in high school, Im almost certain the principal will go for it! It will take some work to get it go but it is by no means an impossible task. With my experience with my clubs... the most helpful thing is to get involved with the science dept. ! I'm glad to see that your interested in doing this, ill always be around to give some pointers, get you in the correct direction, or even proofread letters or applications. Which reminds me, Look into the ARRL "Big Project", Basicaly fill out a form with the help of your facualty advisor and a few other things and they will help supply you with equiptment. It's a great this to look into since most High School Students don't have that much money lying around!

Good Luck!

[KC0WTS]

:confused:Can someone give me advice to starting a Ham club and convincing the Principal?
Thanks
de KB1NZW

The way our school club runs is that anyone can join as long as they are atleast in 5th grade(that's when late buses start for us) and they go to our schools. Your best bet is to find a teacher who is already licensed, but, what are the odds of that. So if I were you, I'd talk to a teacher who would be willing to be the "faculty trustee" and get their ticket. After that it should be a breeze. Like Duncon said, a lot of the radio principles tie in with the curriculum. There's the math side and then the propagation and electrical stuff is all science. If your school offers a career center, then all the circuitry ties into the electronic field.
Anyways, good luck and hope you get it going. If you need any help just pm me or post something here.

73-
Logan,
KC0WTS

[KD6NIG]

Your biggest issue will probably be funding, if you're looking for that. The ability to use school facilities after hours will probably be ok, but beyond that, you're going to need an outside funding source.

Many schools around here don't have sports anymore unless the parents raise money for transportation funding (or worse!).

You will have to consider this and the competition between other established "after school activities." It all depends on what you're looking at the school to do to help you.

The amount of interest will probably dictate it also. If you're the only one looking at it, it may not fly. But if you have a group of 20 kids or so interested, that may be a good start.

Good luck!

[KC0WTS]

Your biggest issue will probably be funding, if you're looking for that.Good luck!

If you've got enough local hams around then you shouldn't find any problem with getting equipment. If you know nine or ten hams then atleast one of them will have something lying around they can get rid of. If giving up an old radio they don't use anymore means that their hobby will continue and kids will get interested in it, they'll give up that radio.

Also, the ARRL has a school club grant that you could apply for. That's how our club got BRAND new equipment last year. We got a new vectronics tuner, a ft-897, and a new 2 meter antenna plus books on antenna theory and license manuals and all that fun stuff for our library.

http://www.arrl.org/FandES/tbp/school-ap.html

[KB1LQD]

Agreed with the last poster... The local radio clubs and hams should be more than will to let you borrow extra gear! and for a permanent station, heres the link to the front page of the big project... (Last poster linked to the application, I figured I'd link this...) http://www.arrl.org/FandES/tbp/

[kc9jwa]

I am just commenting on the idea its a great one and i dont see hardly any kids interested in it, its the drug, violent road in this state, but im glad some young ones want to do that, i wish my old school could have, anyway good luck i hope it workds out.:)

[KB1LQC]

Good luck, let me know if you need any advice by PM or email (qrz my call). The Big Project was a HUGE help but we used borrowed gear at Chelmsford High School for the first semester. It looks like you will be starting as a freshman so see if you can find people that are interested, students in any of the grades (gets your networking skills some practice!). With the support, starting a club will be a lot easier. If you can find a teacher who is licensed, wants to be licensed, or interested in simply advising then that makes it a whole lot easier too. Especially if you want to apply for the Big Project you should find a local club that can sponsor the school club or at least offer support. Let us all know if you need anything!