The Radio Reactivation Programme in Poland

Written by Paweł Zakrzewski SP7TEV - PZK IARU Liaison Officer

Monday, 11 February 2013 15:38

The "Radio Reactivation" Programme constitutes an educational venture propagating technical culture and amateur radio among children and youth in Poland. "Reactivation" is a service of the amateur radio community aimed at conveying their passion and fascination with radio technologies to younger generations. "Reactivation" is a nationwide free training programme addressed to primary and secondary schools.

"Reactivation" is based on the assumption that this programme functions as a movement motivating the amateur radio community in Poland to cooperate with new generations.

“Dear Amateur Radio Friends: by presenting the mission of the "Radio Reactivation" Programme, we would like to point out that this action is not assigned and subordinated to any group of people, any club of the Polish Amateur Radio Union (PZK), any regional (local) section of the PZK, and it is not an action organised by the POLSKI ZWIAZEK KROTKOFALOWCOW (PZK), by the League of National Defence (LOK), or by any other organisation (although e.g. the PZK is one of the bodies that support the "Radio Reactivation" Programme - translator’s note).”

The entire venture is a spontaneous initiative of volunteers and it brings together all who want to work for implementation of the above-formulated ideas. Any person can become a volunteer - a person who holds an amateur radio licence as well as a person without a licence, who will be able - due to his/her knowledge - to assist in preparation of the programme for schools in terms of its specialist content.

The programme is free as such, but it is limited by our logistic and time capabilities, so it is important to make the largest possible group of people from the whole territory of Poland focus on that idea.

It is assumed that the website of the "Radio Reactivation" Programme will match teachers who want to present it to their pupils (students) - together with radio amateurs across our country, providing their time and equipment for a class. A class can be conducted by teachers as well by radio amateurs.

In order to make the venture successful and for ensuring its nationwide impact, it is important that volunteers inform sufficiently in advance about their willingness to help.

The "Radio Reactivation" Programme is a non-profit initiative, i.e. nobody collects any property intended for business, or applies for funding from any organisations, associations, foundations and other groups - formal and informal ones.

The "Radio Reactivation" Programme is represented as a venture to other organisations and legal entities by its initiative group consisting of the following persons: Paweł Włodarczyk SQ5STS, Ryszard Labus SQ9MDD, Jerzy Wróbel SQ5NPW, Tomasz Zagóra SQ5OBU, Tomasz Wawer SQ5RIX, Andrzej Chałubiec SP9ENO, Michał Grzesiczak SQ7JZI, Jacek Kotowski SQ5LNO and Hubert Anysz SP5RE.

You are cordially invited!!!

Conspectus of classes for children

Only single shows are envisaged, in form of classes composed of four blocks - for groups of 15-30 participants (maximum), from the 5th-6th form of primary schools (12-13 years) and from the 1st form of secondary schools (14 years). [According to the education system in Poland - translator’s note].

Duration: from 2 hours and 15 minutes to 4 hours

The material is presented briefly, to be a wide and interesting, but with emphasis on combination of amateur radio with the principle of electromagnetism and the physical properties of waves, in such a way that this material be attractive to the management of schools in terms of education - as the primary condition of implementation of the programme in schools.

The presented material is envisaged as a set of experiments rather than a lecture on theory. The idea to prepare one common teaching material was born in the mind of Ryszard SQ9MDD, and then - with support of many people - it has been launched on this page.

Block 1 (45 minutes)

- What is radio communication? - 20 minutes
- Presentation of radio transmitting equipment - 5 minutes
- Theoretical issues - part 1 (electromagnetism (experiments of H. C. Oersted, A.-M. Ampere and M. Faraday - translator’s note), a radio transmitter, types of radio modes - the Morse code, FM, AM) - 20 minutes

Block 2 (45 minutes)

- The rules of activity on the bands - 10 minutes
- A pattern of a contact and the basics of spelling - 10 minutes (copies to be distributed among all participants)
- Skeds (arranged QSOs) on the 144 MHz band - activity of children on the air (under supervision) under a club call sign - 25 minutes

Block 3 (45 minutes)

- Calling CQ on the 7MHz band - activity on the air undertaken by selected (previously prepared) children who know English, under a club call sign, up to 3 QSOs - 15 minutes, or presentation of one contact by a leading operator
- Theoretical issues - part 2 (wave theory, principles of radiation of radio waves - propagation, antennas) - 30 minutes

Additional block

- Further activity of children on the 7MHz band (under supervision) within the framework of time at disposal afterwards
- It is obvious that the schedule of a class can be always adapted to the requirements of a school, and logistic capabilities - together with time of volunteers-radio amateurs - are the only limitation.

On its side, a school should ensure:

- a projector and a screen,
- a room with a window onto a close (a place for antennas), the distance to the pitch - no longer than 30-50 meters,
- additional tables for the equipment.

The conducting operator should ensure:

- equipment for experiments,
- a radio transmitter (a transceiver) and antennas.

The classes are free of charge, but information with a relevant link and photo material on the website of a school would be welcome. ;)