2003 ARRL, Kids Day

The Vero Beach Amateur Radio Club will sponsor Kid’s Day on January 4, 2003 to encourage young people to enjoy the magic of Amateur (Ham) Radio. The event will be held at the studios of Vero Beach Broadcasting (WGYL, WOSN, WTTB & WGNX), 1235 16 Street, from 1 – 5 PM. Kids of all ages will have an opportunity to talk on the radio and certificates of participation will be given to kids under 19. Tours of the broadcast studios will be available to allow the kids to compare broadcast radio and amateur radio.

Ham radio offers something for everyone. Operators provide emergency communications during disasters such as hurricanes, search and rescue operations, and community events such as walkathons. At other times they practice their skills and have fun talking to friends around the world. The International Space Station has amateur radio on board. The youngest Amateur to assist with communications after the World Trade Center bombing was age 10. The Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) has a program to assist teachers to incorporate Amateur Radio into the classroom. Computers and GPS are even used with ham radio.

Kid's Day began in 1994 as a one-hour time slot, and kids exchanged their favorite color. The initial event, sponsored by the Boring (Oregon) Amateur Radio Club (BARC), drew fewer than 50 participants, but more than 1000 turned out for last January Kid's Day event.

"This is a great family event for a Saturday afternoon. We hope to talk with young people in the U.S. and around the world," says Sherri Brower (call sign W4STB). Chris Myers (call sign KF4DQY) says, "My career as a broadcast engineer and my volunteer work with amateur radio go hand in hand. Ham Radio can lead to a variety of careers in electronics, broadcasting, and engineering."