School Amateur Radio Club Network

I was recently contacted by someone who wanted me to reach out to educators and tell them about the  SARCNET - School Amateur Radio Club Network in Australia. I didn’t know about this network and was very intrigued by his message. As a ham radio operator, I was thrilled to see how schools were involved with amateur radios. Mr. Meyer wants to see more schools in the US develop this kind of network too and asked me to reach out to my readers and share this information. With his permission, I am copying and pasting his message.

“I am Jeffrey A. Meyer, Radio Amateur and Model Railroader, Retiree and currently residing in Painesville, Ohio.

Here's what I just sent to Education Week and it certainly applies to your blog. I have been trying to get my foot in the door, at several local school districts, to introduce the world of Amateur Radio and model railroading and can't even get a single return call or e-mail. Maybe one of your "subscribers" is interested in a rare, unique and life-changing program for kids in grades 3-6, so here's my pitch. Best of all it's FREE.
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Today, educators are constantly expected to do more; to be the wide ranging single subject matter expert, the cheerleader, the mentor, the substitute parent, the nurse, the referee and the list goes on and on……

What if local teachers had an army of volunteer subject matter experts that could bring both their hobbies and practical expertise into those local classrooms?

Being both an Amateur Radio Operator "Ham" for 45 years and model railroader, both these hobbies provide a unique opportunity for hands-on instructional learning. Not only do they both provide a wealth of practical STEM experience through electronics, radio theory, propagation, engineering, meteorology, weather, safety, communication, project planning, etc., most of the hobbyists I know would jump at the opportunity to work with kids.

Hobby enthusiasts are an amazing, creative and an untapped resource for educators. They are hidden away in every community and willingly provide their own equipment and expertise FOR FREE. They also have a zeal to pass on this technology to the next generation. So, this largely free and enriching collaboration, between the schools and the hobbyist fraternity, is a real home run.

A program, specifically designed for Amateur Radio, has already been successfully implemented by SARCNET in Australia, growing from one school to six, expanded into two countries and the kids are clamoring to get involved. That's a problem most teachers would like to have; kids wanting to be there and fully engaged.

Australia doesn't have a patent on innovation, so it can work here too! We just need more educators who are willing to listen and explore the possibilities that exist all around them every day. With that simple curiosity, we get a win for the hobbyist, the win for the teacher and most of all, a life-changing win for the kids.”

If you have an interest in something like this in your classroom or school, I’d be glad to help you connect with Mr. Meyer for more information. Just email me with your contact information.

Photo by Pradamas Gifarry on Unsplash