Amateur Radio Station Dedication

From the inbox:
The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in conjunction with the Contoocook Valley Radio Club (CVRC) and the New England Amateur Radio Festival (NEAR-Fest) has completed production of an amateur radio station with full operational capabilities. This station, KA1SKY, will be formally dedicated on February 14 at 11 AM, part of School Club Round-up Week, to 2009’s station project manager Ken Rust, KB1PRV, who recently became a Silent Key. The station will now be called the Mumley-Rust Memorial Station.

The new fully functional HF/VHF/UHF/Satellite amateur station will enable visitors at the Discovery Center to understand and use a part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The radio will allow voice transmission and Morse code on thousands of frequencies of various wavelengths. With the guidance of volunteer amateur radio operators, visitors will be able to talk to other “Hams” around the world as well as contact the International Space Station when it is in a favorable position. Communication with satellites in space will also be possible in order to receive and make transmissions to other parts of the world. Use of the station will also demonstrate how energy and information is transmitted on electromagnetic waves in the radio end of the electromagnetic spectrum, making it an essential tool for enhancing Discovery Center educational programs.

A brief history of the project will be given by project manager Wayne Santos, N1CKM, followed by the dedication with station manager Peter Stohrer, K1PJS. Future plans for the station will also be presented by Santos and David McDonald, education director at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center. The station will officially be open at 11:30 for student and public use.

Donors who made this project possible include Phil Parton; Lee Scott, AA1YN; Gordon West, W5YI; Kenwood USA, Inc.; NEAR-Fest; Port City Radio Club; CVRC; Ham Radio Outlet; West Mountain Radio; and the American Radio Relay League.

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center features 21st century interactive exhibits on aviation, astronomy, Earth and space sciences, a state-of-the-art planetarium and a variety of science, technology, engineering and math programs. The engaging, robust educational programs are geared towards families, teens, seniors, students, community groups, and lifelong learners. For more information, visit www.starhop.com.