Amateur radio club to
take part in contest
By Morgan Conklin
Summer
Reporter
If you are strolling through the Memorial Mall
this weekend and stumble upon tents, don’t assume the occupants
are protesting sweatshops.
The Purdue Amateur Radio Club members will be
spending the weekend on the lawn contacting various amateur radio
stations while participating in a nationwide contest.
"It is technically a contest, but it is
more of a fun day to test out equipment," said Josh Kittle, a
junior in the Schools of Engineering and a member of the club.
Both Kittle and Tim Miller, the club’s adviser,
encourage the general public to stop by the mall to learn about the
club and try to contact different stations. "We can do a show
and tell of what we have and answer any questions," Kittle said.
"Visitors who stop by will be given a chance to talk to people
on the different stations," said Miller.
Ham Radio, the familiar term for amateur radio,
is especially necessary in emergency situations. The radios are capable
of running on generators and are useful if something disastrous happens
to other radio sources, said Miller.
Kittle said the club will be using generators
to power its radios this weekend to test the ability of its members
to perform under emergency situations.
This will be the first time in nearly a decade
that the club will be participating in the contest. Miller said the
reason why they have decided to enter the contest this year is partly
due to the fact that many of the club’s members will be on campus
this summer.
Ham radio attracts an assortment of people. "Most
of the members in the club are technically inclined; however, we encourage
all majors to join the club," said Miller.
The club will be meeting around 10 a.m. Saturday
in the Memorial Mall to set up their equipment for the contest. The
contest begins at 1 p.m. Saturday and will last until 1 p.m. Sunday.
To learn more about the club, visit their Web site at: http://w9yb.purdue.org
