CQ School round up...CQ School round up...This is WØMXW, WØMXW in Rochester, Minnesota listening. These were the voices of Sarah and Ashley, two students at Schaeffer Academy on Monday October 15, 2007 at 1500 CST. The 20 meter band was full of ham operators who wanted to work the newest school club station in Rochester, MN. The student CQ's were greeted with calls from stations in Rochester, MN; Williamsburg, VA; Dover, DE; Washington, DC and Baton Rouge, LA among others. It was exciting to see the students' enthusiasm rewarded with an eager pile up of US stations anxious to work them.

The Rochester Amateur Radio club has established a school amateur radio station at Schaeffer academy in northeast Rochester this October.The RARC, along with donated equipment from retired ham operator DR James Garber, established the station to assist the school's four student operators: Bobby KCØNXB, Ashley KØAEW, Katie KØKEW and Sarah WØSMW, and other students who are interested in amateur radio. The school club is advised by Scott Wright, KØMD and has as its trustees: KØMD, NØNUV and NØADQ.

On Saturday October 13, KØMD and WØSA worked to install a Hustler 5 BTV vertical so the school could participate in the ARRL School Round-Up. NØADQ and NØNUV also worked last week to bring necessary equipment and supplies to the school while student Bobby KCØNXB interfaced with school officials to locate a room and space for the club station. Bobby even arranged for interviews for Schaeffer hams and the club adviser with the school's newspaper to highlight the kick off of the new station.

NØNUV and KØMD initiated the round up operation on Monday October 15th along with Schaeffer students Sarah Wright, Ashley Wright, Dianna Blais and one other student. The students operated for one hour on Monday, making 7 contacts in 6 different states. They attempted to work an Argentinian station on 15 meters but could not break the pile up!

The school station will also serve as a model set up for Rochester amateur operators who want to learn HF operation and want to see a simple, yet effective set-up for HF operation. The school station is using a Kenwood TS 820S and a Hustler 5-BTV vertical for 80 through 10 meters operation.