Student Radio Operators Connect To The World

By Laurie Borst

Last October, seven middle school students began studying amateur radio operation with Don Babbitt. In January, all seven passed the first level of testing and received their Technician’s License. To obtain this certification, the young men had to pass a written test that covered radio theory, regulations, and operations. Five of the seven boys decided to continue on toward the next level, the General License.

 To obtain the General License, students must pass a 25-question written exam and a 13-word per minute Morse Code test. Andrew LaMarche, who will be a freshman at Newtown High this fall, passed both sections. Patrick Shadler, Austin Baldour, Jason Howell, and Brandon Adsit-Wierner, all eighth graders this fall, passed the written test this spring. Andrew worked with the other boys helping them learn Morse Code. Most of them have now passed, or will test again shortly for, the code test.

Andrew, Austin, and Brandon all stated they started the program “to try something new.” All of them liked the aspect of conversing with people from other states and other countries. While several of the young men have earned licenses that allow broadcasting on frequencies that could reach other continents, none have purchased the necessary equipment. Andrew has talked to people in Alabama.

The young men all express an interest in continuing their studies of amateur radio. At this point, though, they all need more advanced mathematics and physics to advance to the higher-level licenses. Both subjects will be learned in high school.

The term “ham radio” is often applied to amateur radio. No one knows where the term came from. One school of thought says it originated with the “ham-fisted” technique some early operators used in sending code.

While many people enjoy amateur radio as a hobby, communicating with people around the world, amateur radio has a practical application as well. During emergencies, ham operators can send messages when other forms of communication, e.g., telephones and Internet, are down. The radios are equipped with battery backup that can operate for seven days. One Danbury area operator volunteered his time at Ground Zero after 9/11. Another went down to Gulfport, Miss., to help after Hurricane Katrina hit.

ARES, Amateur Radio Emergency Services, is the arm of amateur radio that deals with emergency transmissions. “I like the idea that in an emergency, I could actually help,” Brandon said.

According to Mr Babbitt, every manned space launch has had a ham operator on board. The International Space Station has equipment on board that allows the astronauts to converse with students at schools that have set up the proper radio equipment.

It is interesting to note that 170 years after its invention, Morse Code still has a use in emergency broadcasting even with all the high tech equipment available.

For more information, visit the Candlewood Amateur Radio Association at Danbury.org/cara/.