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k1rv
12-17-2003, 07:15 PM
Youth in Amateur Radio Program - ARRL Big Project Schools

Tuesday, December 9, 2003 – The HamTestOnline™ website announced an update today to its Youth in Amateur Radio program to help ARRL Big Project Schools. Each Big Project School is eligible to receive a donation of five free subscriptions to The HamTestOnline™ website.

“We are offering this donation to support projects bringing kids into amateur radio. We would like to provide each of the 50 ARRL’s The Big Project schools with another tool for instructors to use.” announced John “J.C.” Cunningham, W1AI, the website founder. #“We want to help make ham radio an affordable hobby!”

“In keeping with the Year of the Youth theme of Hamvention 2003, we want to encourage more young people to enter the world of amateur radio,” added Harold “Pi” Pugh, K1RV, the HamTestOnline™ website course master. #“Today’s kids are internet-savvy. #They are much more comfortable studying with an interactive learning program than reading a book,” Pi continued. #“We’ve been very successful with kids as young as 8 years old!”

Pi and J.C. have been working for years to bring youth into amateur radio. #They are two of the leading forces behind the K1USN Radio Club’s scouting program, which introduces about 5,000 scouts to amateur radio each year as part of their Overnight Adventure on board the USS Salem museum ship docked in Quincy, Massachusetts.

The HamTestOnline™ website provides computer-based training for the U.S. amateur radio written exams. #Unlike practice exams, it starts with simple concepts and progresses to more complex ones, and provides additional information not in the question pools. #The website tracks each student's progress through the course and uses "intelligent repetition" to ensure each concept is mastered. #Students learn the material rather than memorizing the answers.

The website offers a “free trial” with access to 20% of the questions. #A regular subscription costs $29.95 for full access to all three question pools. #The Youth in Amateur Radio subscription provides the same full access and is now offered at $14.95 to all students 18 and under. Gift Subscriptions are now also available online for friends and family members.

For more information on the HamTestOnline™ website’s Youth in Amateur Radio program, visit http://www.hamtestonline.com or send an email to K1RV@hamtestonline.com

W9WHE
12-22-2003, 06:23 PM
The ARRL's "big project" has a "big hole".

How long will newly minted hams stay in the hobby after the HOA tells them they can't have an antenna?

WHERE is the antenna bill making PRB-1 applicable to private restrictions?

W1RFI
12-24-2003, 01:14 PM
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (W9WHE @ Dec. 21 2003,12:23)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">The ARRL's "big project" has a "big hole".

How long will newly minted hams stay in the hobby after the HOA tells them they can't have an antenna?

WHERE is the antenna bill making PRB-1 applicable to private restrictions?[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
I don't believe that information about the bills that seek to protect the interests of amateur radio should be a part of the "Big Project." The Big Project is designed to use amateur radio as a teaching tool for conventional subject curriculae -- science, geography, social sciences, etc.

Just because ARRL is working on the Big Project doesn't mean that it is not working other issues, too. The present rulemaking matters on the plate are described at:

http://www.arrl.org/govrelations/

The CC&R issue was targeted more specifically in a legislation that was not successful:

http://www.arrl.org/govrelations/hr4720/
http://www.arrl.org/htdig/?method=and&words=4720

Things like the Big Project are easy. Hams can either kick back and watch ARRL do it all, or can participate at the local level, being part of the volunteers that help pitch this to local schools or be one of the educators who help make it happen. Federal legislation is much harder, because without "grass roots" support, Congressfolks really never see it pass their radar screens.

In the above, I think that ARRL did the right things, but a CC&R bill is a real tough one. But how many hams contacted their Congresscritters, extolling the virtues of ham radio and asking them to support the bill. Did you? After all, I am sure you would be among the first to say that all good things in amateur radio do NOT come from Newington, CT. (I agree!http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif If each of the Congressfolks had heard from all of the hams in their districts, I think that the bill would be law now.

The bills on the plate at this time are more general, and, IMHO, it may be more important to protect amateur spectrum to make sure we have frequencies when the CC&R matter is settled, but the CC&R issue is not settled and it will be back on the plate at the earliest opportunity. As you can see above, addressing CC&Rs is a policy position of the League and I am certain that it will continue to be so.

73,
Ed Hare, W1RFI

W9WHE
12-26-2003, 06:42 PM
Ed writes:

"But how many hams contacted their Congresscritters, extolling the virtues of ham radio and asking them to support the bill. Did you?"

Yes, Ed, I did. I even received a letter from my congressmen calling the bill "common sence legislation".

Did YOU contact YOUR congressman? Did you?