I sent this email today to a few friends:
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- Ham Radio for Home Schoolers -
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(Yes, I sent it to a couple of you that aren't schooling, but had
previously expressed some interest in becoming a ham.)
Several of us that this email is going to have talked for some time
about putting together a ham radio class in the Boling home aimed at
home schoolers. The class has several goals:
1. Science-related education, touching basic:
- - physics
- - atmosphere
- - mathematics
- - electronics
2. Make it easy to earn an amateur radio license
3. Have fun w/ friends
The concepts aren't difficult, and the class would be suitable for kids
(roughly 8 years old and up) and adults alike.
With sufficient interest, we may even run more than one class with
different age/interest foci, so we can keep things personal.
The course would be composed of multiple sessions (maybe 4-9, depending
on how fast we decide to go), probably held weekly.
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- Price -
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Free, of course!
Additional study materials and practice exams are also available free.
(Those who choose to take a "real" test after the course and get their
FCC license will have to pay a $15 exam fee.)
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- Comparison to other classes -
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There are other classes taught around the area periodically; e.g. this
weekend there are classes starting in East Vancouver and Lake Oswego,
and we try to hold at least one a year in Cowlitz county -- we've held
them in Kelso, Longview, Cathlamet and Woodland.
Some ways that I'd like this class to be different than a lot of the others:
1. Not as rushed. Some classes are as little as 2 sessions, with most
of them being 4.
2. Aimed more at kids. Some classes have some old guy droning on who
seems to assume that everyone is of his age and experience, and can sit
still for 6 hours. I *hope* not to be too boring, and I'm quite sure
that Michele will let me know if I get that way. I also plan to have
some of my kids who are hams (Alexander, Miriana, Matthew, Shana) help
w/ the class.
3. More personal attention. We're not limited to a class-room
situation; anyone can get additional info/help outside the class/lesson.
4. Convenient time - Most classes are evenings & weekends; many home
schoolers prefer weekdays. In any case, we may be able to work with your
schedule.
5. Convenient location -- okay, it's convenient for ME! It's also
convenient because not every member of your family is likely to be in
the class, so you have a home to play & visit in.
6. Educational -- many classes teach you to pass the test without
learning anything. I want the class participants to come away smarter!
Many home-schooled kids (and their parents) like the idea of leaving the
conventional science textbook on the shelf for a while and taking a
different approach to learning about a variety of things.
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- Why Ham Radio? -
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Why would you even WANT a radio license? For those who haven't already
decided that you do (or don't), here are some of the uses:
- Everyday family communication. Whether someone's hiking in the hills
out of cell phone range, or driving in another city, our family keeps in
touch. And with a large family, being able to conveniently talk to
everyone at once is really nice.
- Emergency preparedness. In December, when roads were blocked and
phones & Internet were out, and Jonathan & I were stuck away from home,
radio kept us connected with the rest of the family.
- Service. When bad things happen, established infrastructure often
goes down, and experienced hams are called on to help by gov't and
others. There are also often opportunities to serve in our communities
providing communications support for more "normal" activities. Hams and
others practicing Radio Direction Finding are used to locate downed
airplanes, stranded hikers, and Alzheimer patients.
- Fun. While a useful tool for some, other people actually *like* it!
Whether it's the social aspect, like getting to talk to new people and
chat with friends (I'l bet your teenagers don't know that there were
people sitting at their keyboards exchanging wireless instant messages
in 1922!), contesting, or the many technical aspects of the art, ham
radio covers such a wide range of activities that there's something for
almost everyone.
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- Ham radio vs. cell phones for kids -
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Are cell phones more convenient in some circumstances? You bet! Let's
talk about some of the advantages of radios, though, specifically for kids:
- Cheap. I buy a radio for $25 and it's free to use forever more. I
can't imagine buying cellular time for all my kids (not to mention
managing subscriptions, registering devices, etc.)
- Not private. For kids, this is an advantage, not a disadvantage.
Encryption is illegal on ham radio. Sure, nobody hears most of our
family conversations, but knowing that someone *could* be listening to
their conversation w/ a friend or sibling tends to keep your child honest.
- Can talk to family, but not most friends. --Unless their friends
have their licenses! --Or if they connect to a "phone patch" on a
public repeater, in which case it's less private. Again, a disadvantage
can be an advantage.
- Built-in "earn it!". When is your child mature enough to have their
own radio? Easy! When they work to earn their license. How simple is that?
- Improves overall communication skills. Several of my children's speech
have improved from talking on the radio. When using a public repeater,
you tend to care more for how you speak anyway, and both culture and
rules tend to discourage some of the inane grunt-speak people sometimes
overhear when their kids are on the phone w/ their friends.
- Gives them a practical job skill. Radios *are* used in commercial
environments; knowing how to operate and maintain them can be useful.
- No games. It's hard to find a cell phone without games and other
distractions that they don't need all the time. Conversely, it's hard to
find ham radios *with* those things. It's a communicator, not a toy.
They can have games when you want them to have games.
- Educational. It may not them "critical" skills like how to log into
Facebook, but there are a lot of things that they *can* learn from it.
In the math & science realm, it shows a practical use for all that
textbook material.
- Confidence and credibility. Like achieving the rank of Eagle in
BSA or a Mitchell award in CAP, when a kid is a licensed radio operator
(esp. if they have a professional demeanor to go with it), adults will
take them more seriously.
- Opportunity for service and growth. Credentials + credibility will
allow them to go places and participate in things that they wouldn't
otherwise be able to. Plus, if they choose to be active in community
service, they'll develop relationships w/ leaders that may prove
beneficial when they get older.
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- What I want from you -
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If you managed to scroll (with or without reading) to this point...
I want to know:
1. Who in your family might want to participate in this class
2. What kind of schedule (days, times) you'd prefer.
3. Any questions?
This is a survey, not a promise. I appreciate your input.
If you know anyone locally who might be interested in a class like this, feel free to pass the word along.
