Woodruff Middle School STEM Club
STEM Kids Operate In ARRL School Roundup
By Jon Pearce WB2MNF
The Woodruff Middle School STEM Club participated in the ARRL School Roundup contest on Wednesday, October 22, 2025 with three students who stayed after school to get their first HF radio contacts. After school at 2 PM we set up a 25-foot end-fed antenna, strung between a gutter pipe on the school building and a light post about 30 feet away - a less-than-ideal setup. Using a loaned FT-991A radio, we first tried the 40-meter band but heard no activity. Switching to 20 meters, we found many signals, including several contest participants. The students made contacts with other middle schools, elementary, and college stations, though some operators focused on earning contest points and kept conversations brief.
In 90 minutes, we made six contacts, with time spent explaining the process and technology to the students. This was the first on-air experience for all three students and also for the substitute teacher, who was filling in for the regular teacher, Angela Metzger KE2DRJ. Everyone was enthusiastic, and afterward we discussed ways to offer license training for interested students, despite challenges with after-school scheduling.
We hope to develop a plan to help these students get licensed.
By Jon Pearce WB2MNF
The Woodruff Middle School STEM Club participated in the ARRL School Roundup contest on Wednesday, October 22, 2025 with three students who stayed after school to get their first HF radio contacts. After school at 2 PM we set up a 25-foot end-fed antenna, strung between a gutter pipe on the school building and a light post about 30 feet away - a less-than-ideal setup. Using a loaned FT-991A radio, we first tried the 40-meter band but heard no activity. Switching to 20 meters, we found many signals, including several contest participants. The students made contacts with other middle schools, elementary, and college stations, though some operators focused on earning contest points and kept conversations brief.
In 90 minutes, we made six contacts, with time spent explaining the process and technology to the students. This was the first on-air experience for all three students and also for the substitute teacher, who was filling in for the regular teacher, Angela Metzger KE2DRJ. Everyone was enthusiastic, and afterward we discussed ways to offer license training for interested students, despite challenges with after-school scheduling.
We hope to develop a plan to help these students get licensed.