GB4FUN Visit a Resounding Success

Hastings Electronics and Radio Club (HERC) organised an exciting opportunity for students at four secondary schools in Hastings and Rother last week. The youngsters were thrilled to operate the mobile radio station, callsign GB4FUN, for the whole week, 3-7 July 2006 "All the youngsters who visited were very impressed, as were the staff who attended. One parent told me their son had come home raving about what he had seen and how exciting it was" reported the Technology teacher from William Parker School. (and this during the World Cup!)

GB4FUN is the brainchild of the Radio Society of Great Britain administered and operated by the Radio Communications Foundation, a non-profit making organisation. Sponsorship comes from radio amateurs throughout the UK, HSBC and several UK radio equipment suppliers. GB4FUN is a fully equipped mobile radio station provided free of charge to UK schools as an educational facility to promote interest in engineering and science amongst young people. This unique facility enables students to experience the whole range of communications technology from mobile phones and television to communication by satellite, bringing to life the science and technology they learn in the classroom. The computer technology on board enables students to appreciate the geographic features of radio propagation, the mathematics of calculating the length of the aerials to fit the radio frequencies used and the adjustment in frequency needed to allow for the speed of satellites passing overhead. The satellite weather monitoring system also proved very popular.

Foreign language students had the opportunity to exercise their skill as they spoke to radio amateurs throughout the world under the direction of the experienced demonstrator, provided by the RSGB, Carlos Eavis. Carlos explained the important role that radio amateurs have played in providing essential communications during recent disasters including the Asian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and the Pakistan earthquake last year.

One teacher reported "Even those students with little interest in radio as a communications tool got animated when Carlos spoke about using their licences to experiment in other avenues such as robotics and wireless control."

HERC is offering courses to several students and teachers at each school who expressed an interest in learning more about amateur radio and getting their own amateur radio licence. Students (of all ages!) on the courses run by HERC get their own copy of the RSGB training manual and a discount on their Club membership, which then gives them cover under the Club's insurance. For more details  contact gordon@gsweet.fsnet.co.uk and please quote GB4FUN in the subject.

All the schools are writing to RSGB to thank them for the visit, which was, in their words," A RESOUNDING SUCCESS".