Ham Radio at the Hands-On Museum is a joint effort of ARROW and the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum whose goal is to promote amateur radio and an understanding of radio and other wireless technologies. This effort includes a number of different activities, including:
- establishing a permanent amateur radio station, WA2HOM, at the museum,
- creation of several "hands on" displays at the museum that will demonstrate electrical and electronic principles,
- amateur radio license classes that will teach students all they need to know to get an amateur radio license, and
- other activities that will give kids and their parents a better understanding of wireless technologies.
WA2HOM
WA2HOM is the centerpiece of Ham Radio at the Hands-On Museum. Up to this point, we have been operating from the museum lobby approximately every other Saturday. This This station will have both HF and VHF/UHF capability and whatever other capabilities that our volunteers might want to work on. Current plans also call for adding some remote control capability, so that the station may be operated over the Internet. To help us outfit the station, we have been awarded a $10,000 grant by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
The current antenna system includes inverted vees on the museum roof for the 40-meter band and the 20-meter bands. We're hoping to get some funds from the ARRL to put up a tower on the roof and install some type of beam antenna. We will also be installing some kind of VHF/UHF antenna.
NEWS!
- Charlie Stout, Media Arts Manager for the museum, has completed the design of the station and fabrication of the furniture is slated to begin the week of 10/6/08.
- A ham in Plymouth donated some equipment to our project including an Astron RS-35M power supply, Alpha-Delta antenna switch, and a Nye straight key.
- Yaesu has asked me to submit a list of equipment that we may want for the station so that they can quote on it. My understanding is that they are prepared to offer it as a discount. TenTec has also asked for a list. They have said that they will give us a 5% discount.
Hands-On Displays
In addition to the station, we'll be working with the museum folks to create several exhibits demonstrating electrical/electronic principles and wireless technology. Ideas for these exhibits include:
- Morse Code
- Ohm's Law
- See your voice on an oscilloscope
- Resonant Circuits/Oscillators
- How Radio Waves Work (Hertz' Experiment)
- Crystal Radio
Classes
We will also be conducting classes at the museum. Our next, one-day Tech class will be on Saturday, December 6. For more information on the classes, visit the ARROW website.
Get Involved!
We would love to have you get involved with Ham Radio at the Hands-On Museum. One way to do this is to make a contribution.
You can also donate your time. We could use your talents to set up and operate the station or talk to Museum visitors about amateur radio. If you would like to get involved, please contact Dan, KB6NU by e-mail at kb6nu@w8pgw.org or by phone at 734-930-6564.
