When I was a kid, many of us nerdy types learned electronics by getting an amateur radio license. It was our gateway into electrical engineering
Just as I was graduating from college, though, personal computers got to be a big thing. That certainly siphoned off a big number of nerdy kids by providing another technical outlet. Computers, because they were so new, were a LOT sexier than amateur radio. This trend continued for at least 20 years.
Today, the FIRST Robotics Competition draws a large number of tech-oriented kids. Heck, a lot of kids today hardly even know what radio is.
So, the question is, “Is amateur radio still a gateway to electrical engineering?” My answer is that while it might not be as big a gateway as it was in the 1960s and 1970s, amateur radio is enjoying something of a renaissance among nerdy young people. It may not be THE gateway into electrical engineering, but it certainly is one of them.
Amateur radio on campus
One of the reasons I say this is that amateur radio seems to be enjoying new popularity on college campuses around the country. For example, it was big news in amateur radio circles several years ago when Cal Polytechnic in San Luis Obispo licensed 114 freshman engineering students. They were able to do this because passing the Tech exam counted as one of the midterm exams for the Introduction to Electrical Engineering class.
Here in Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan Amateur Radio Club has been going great guns for more than ten years. Chris Galbraith, KA8WFC, now W1XG, then a grad student got the ball rolling and it’s been going strong ever since. This is partly due to the fact that one space communications course either requires students to get a license or gives them credit for getting a license.
But, it’s more than just about getting course credit. Earlier this year, about 30 UMARC members participated in the club’s kit-building project and assembled a regen receiver.
Another example is the amateur radio club at Virginia Tech. Last week on 30m, I talked to Dr. Bob McGwier, who is the faculty advisor for the VA Tech ARC. He told me that they had just gotten $150,000 in funding to build a first-class amateur radio station there. He said, “We are going to completely automate the station and support many missions including the geosynchronous payload.” They’re also doing some work on amateur radio satellites and are creating the AMSAT-NA Museum there.
Amateur radio in science museums
Those of you who regularly read this blog know that I am the station manager for WA2HOM, the amateur radio station at Hands-On Museum, here in Ann Arbor, MI. We get lots of visitors, including some kids, who are truly interested in amateur radio. Other notable science centers with ham radio stations include:
- Museum of Science and Technology (MOST), Syracuse, NY (K2MST)
- Ontario Science Center, Toronto, ON (VE3OSC)
- Arizona Science Center, Phoenix, AZ (W7ASC)
Hackers/makers
I think that hackers/makers are also bringing a lot of vitality into amateur radio. Amateur radio groups are participating in Maker Faires, and there is a lot of interest in amateur radio among hacker groups.
Here in Ann Arbor, for example, many of the members of the All Hands Active makerspace in Ann Arbor have taken my one-day Tech class, and I’m currently teaching a General Class course there. I’m also considering teaching a more general-interest electronics class there at some point.
The maker/hacker movement has already spawned a couple of interesting amateur radio projects:
- HackRF is an open-source software-defined (SDR) platform. This $300 SDR peripheral capable of transmission or reception of radio signals from 10MHz to 6 GHz. Designed to enable test and development of modern and next generation radio technologies, HackRF One is an open source hardware platform that can be used as a USB peripheral or programmed for stand-alone operation.
- Portable SDR (PSDR) is another hacker/maker-inspired amateur radio project, that was a finalist for the 2014 Hack-a-Day Prize. The PSDR is a completely stand-alone (no computer needed), compact, Portable Software Defined Transceiver (hence the name, sorta). Originally designed for backpacking use by Ham Radio operators. It includes complete coverage up to about 30Mhz (plus 144Mhz), it has a 168Mhz ARM processor, color display, and an innovative interface. Vector Network Analysis (which includes antenna analysis) and GPS functions are included. The entire design is Open Source. The electronics are designed and laid out to be easy to understand and tinker with. In addition to source code, schematics, board layout and parts lists, articles and videos describing the theory of the design are being created.
While there isn’t a direct link between hacking/making and the “profession” of engineering, there is certainly a connection there, making it a gateway to engineering
What does ham radio offer kids today?
Pretty much what it always did:
- The ability to hack electronics. Older hams like to complain that since all the new radios are built using surface-mount devices and run a bunch of software, they can’t be fixed or modified like in the old days, and that there are no Heathkits anymore. It’s true that there are no Heathkits, but there are plenty of kits available for people to build.Also, kids who are growing up with SMDs don’t seem to think of this as a constraint. I’ve taken this as a personal challenge myself and just last week purchased and SMD solder/rework station to gain some SMD assembly skills.
- Amateur radio operators can also hack computer software. Because many of the amateur radio software-development projects are open source, anyone can get in there and hack away to their heart’s content. These include software-defined radio, digital signal processing, digital modes, and mesh networking.
- Social skills.
- Geography skills. I like to joke that I was the only kid in my high school who knew that the capital of Mongolia was Ulan Bator, and that I knew that because of my interest in shortwave radio.
I think that if you add all those up, you’ll see that while amateur radio may not be the gateway to engineering that it used to be, it’s certainly still one of them, and there are things that we can do to make it more of a gateway. The thing that will have the most impact is to Elmer a kid if you’re approached or asked to do so. Being an Elmer has been a very satisfying experience for me.
Another thing that amateur radio might think about doing is to organize events similar to Hour of Code. According to Hour of Code website, “The Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code and show that anybody can learn the basics.” I would propose that we come up with something like “Hour of Radio” or “Hour of Circuits” that would be a one-hour introduction to amateur radio or electronics/electrical engineering designed to demystify radio/electronics and show that anyone can learn the basics.
What do you think? Anyone want to work with me on the Hour of Radio/Hour of Electronics? Anyone already doing something like this?
Don N4KC says
Dan, a friend of mine, Larry Lokey N4LKY, offers extra credit to his EE class at the University of Alabama at Birmingham for getting their Technician license. He also lets them build crystal set radios for credit, too. But he goes one step farther. He invites hams to come in for a class and give a presentation on all the things one can do in the hobby as well as how it can be a benefit to them in their engineering careers.
While I think it is great that so many become licensed, even if just for the class credit, I love the fact that Larry is doing something to help make it stick. Several have actually gotten on the air and upgraded. Maybe they are hams for life. And some of the others will keep their licenses renewed–something I urge when Larry asks me to be a presenter–and will one day take advantage of what they have in their wallets.
73,
Don N4KC
http://www.n4kc.com
http://www.donkeith.com
Johnny Fotschky says
I am currently trying to inspire my community to take a role in the maker movement and Ham Radio. I am in the process of starting a Ham Radio club in Fredericksburg, TX and currently ironing out all the bugs. It has been a very rewarding and pleasant experience thus far. I hope to interact and teach classes to the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boy & Girls Club of America, the Independent School Districts and any other organization that shows interest in this forever fascinating role we take as Amateur Radio operators.
K9SFG – Fredericksburg, TX
EC Gillespie County, TX
President H.E.A.R.T. – HillCountry Emergency & Amateur Radio Technologies.
Dan KB6NU says
Sounds like you’re doing all the right things, Johnny. Keep up the good work.
John Meyer, AF4JM says
Dan,
I would add the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) in Tampa (KM0SI, mosihamradio.org) to your list of science museums. Seeing their station a couple months back inspired me to find out what the heck “ham radio” is, and now I’m a codeless extra (working on the codeless part, even though it doesn’t matter officially). I only wish it would have inspired my teenage son the same way. He too thought it seemed cool, but lost interest when he found out there was a test involved (I did twist his arm enough to take a shot at it, but he wouldn’t get away from his video games long enough to give himself a chance to pass).