Amateur Radio Unit
The amateur radio unit begins by assigning subtopics to individual students that collectively overview the main aspects of amateur radio technology and operation. The students then present the results of their "literature research" informally to their peers. This exercise helps the class to identify learning goals and to build a team-attitude toward helping each other learn. Students are encouraged to freely admit when they don't understand something so that the team can explore difficult issues. Progress records and resources are recorded in notebooks or portfolios.
Students quickly "discover" their need for more background in fields and waves, AC electronics, resonance, etc. Several weeks are then spent playing with ripple tanks, optics benches, "dissecting" radio and computer "cadavers", using oscilloscipes to examine the behavior of inductors, capacitors, etc. Much of this is done in small groups with teams sharing their results.
After this in depth study of fundamentals, the students work in pairs to build radios from scratch, by winding wires around cardboard tubes and sandwiching wax paper between aluminum foil sheets. This results in tunable resonant circuits that can detect strong, local AM radio stations. Then , with the "magic" understood, we build simple receivers and transmitters out of commercial components.
Finally, we study ham radio technologies and operations with standard ARRL materials, learn Morse Code, and test for our amateur radio licenses. [I received my license with my first Physics 2 students in 1995.] Further learning occurs as licensed students are allowed to use the school radio station (after school, during study halls, etc.).
This unit is productive for several reasons:
go to the DELARA(Delaware Amateur Radio Association) page
Physics 2 Amateur Radio Licenses Earned/Upgraded/Enhanced
|
1 |
Nick |
KC8BRC |
Tech |
1995 |
|
|
2 |
Ben |
KC8BRD |
Tech |
1995 |
|
|
3 |
Jeff |
KC8BRE |
Tech |
1995 |
|
|
|
Greg |
KB8MGH |
Tech Plus |
(1991) |
|
|
4 |
David |
KC8BRB |
Tech Plus |
1995 |
(class instructor) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
Laura |
KC8FRN |
Tech Plus |
1996 |
|
|
6 |
Heather |
KC8FRO |
Novice |
1996 |
|
|
7 |
Brock |
KC8FRQ |
Tech |
1996 |
|
|
8 |
Jonathan |
N8YRE |
Tech Plus |
1996 |
(upgrade) |
|
|
Zach |
KC8YCW |
Tech |
(1995) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9 |
Steve |
KC8JAI |
Tech |
1997 |
|
|
10 |
Kyle |
KC8JAJ |
Tech |
1997 |
|
|
11 |
Chris |
KC8JAK |
Tech Plus |
1997 |
|
|
12 |
Jon |
KC8JAL |
Tech |
1997 |
|
|
13 |
Cara |
KC8JAM |
Tech Plus |
1997 |
|
|
14 |
Casey |
KC8JAN |
Tech |
1997 |
|
|
15 |
Matt |
KC8JAO |
Tech |
1997 |
|
|
16 |
Helen |
KC8JAQ |
Tech |
1997 |
|
|
17 |
Ben |
KC8JAR |
Tech |
1997 |
|
|
18 |
Brian |
KC8JAS |
Tech |
1997 |
|
|
19 |
Phil |
KC8JAT |
Tech |
1997 |
|
|
|
David |
KC8BRB |
General |
1997 |
(instructor upgrades) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20 |
Bryan |
KC8MOF |
Tech |
1998-99 |
|
|
21 |
Adam |
KC8MOG |
Tech |
1998-99 |
|
|
22 |
Rob |
KC8MOH |
Tech |
1998-99 |
|
|
23 |
Rob |
KC8MOI |
Tech |
1998-99 |
|
|
24 |
Grant |
KC8MOJ |
Tech Plus |
1998-99 |
|
|
25 |
Brian |
KC8MOK |
Tech Plus |
1998-99 |
|
|
|
David |
KC8BRB |
Advanced |
1998-99 |
(instructor upgrades) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26 |
Scott |
KC8OUL |
Tech |
2000 |
|
|
27 |
Ethan |
KC8OUM |
Tech |
2000 |
|
|
28 |
Kate |
KC8OUN |
Tech |
2000 |
|
|
29 |
Justin |
KC8OUO |
Tech |
2000 |
|
|
30 |
Sean |
KC8OUP |
Tech |
2000 |
|
|
31 |
Rebecca |
KC8OUQ |
Tech |
2000 |
|
|
32 |
Will |
KC8OUR |
Tech |
2000 |
|
|
33 |
Justin |
KC8OUS |
Tech |
2000 |
|
|
34 |
Tony |
KC8OUT |
Tech |
2000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
35 |
Keith |
KC8RII |
Tech |
2001 |
|
|
36 |
Josie |
KC8RIC |
Tech |
2001 |
|
|
37 |
Bryan |
KC8RIK |
Tech |
2001 |
|
|
38 |
Christian |
KC8RIL |
Tech |
2001 |
|
|
39 |
Chris |
KC8RIA |
Tech |
2001 |
|
|
40 |
Becky |
KC8RIJ |
Tech |
2001 |
|
|
41 |
Emily |
KC8RIF |
Tech |
2001 |
|
|
42 |
David |
KC8RIG |
Tech |
2001 |
|
|
43 |
Dan |
KC8RIB |
Tech |
2001 |
|
|
44 |
Drew |
KC8RID |
Tech |
2001 |
|
|
45 |
Laurie |
KC8RIH |
Tech |
2001 |
|
|
46 |
Brian |
KC8RIE |
Tech |
2001 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
47 |
Chris |
KC8UCJ |
Tech |
2002 |
|
|
48 |
Lydia |
KC8UCI |
Tech |
2002 |
|
|
49 |
David |
KC8UCS |
Tech |
2002 |
|
|
50 |
Alex |
KC8UCN |
Tech |
2002 |
|
|
51 |
Paul |
KC8UCQ |
Tech |
2002 |
|
|
52 |
Justin |
KC8UCR |
Tech |
2002 |
|
|
53 |
Tyler |
KC8UCL |
Tech |
2002 |
|
|
54 |
Andrew |
KC8UCU |
Tech |
2002 |
|
|
55 |
Brian |
KC8UCT |
Tech |
2002 |
|
|
56 |
Nathan |
KC8UCP |
Tech |
2002 |
|
|
57 |
Patrick |
KC8UCO |
Tech |
2002 |
|
|
59 |
Emilie |
KC8UCM |
Tech |
2002 |
|
|
60 |
Taylor |
KC8UCK |
Tech |
2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
61 |
Mike |
KC8WQC |
Tech |
2003 |
|
|
62 |
Stephen |
KC8WQA |
Tech |
2003 |
|
|
63 |
Kim |
KC8WPX |
Tech |
2003 |
|
|
64 |
Nick |
KC8WQD |
Tech |
2003 |
|
|
65 |
Corey |
KC8WQE |
Tech |
2003 |
|
|
66 |
Eric |
KC8WPY |
Tech |
2003 |
|
|
67 |
Kent |
KC8WPZ |
Tech |
2003 |
|
|
68 |
Matt |
KC8WQB |
Tech |
2003 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
69 |
Sean |
KC8ZSC |
Tech |
2004 |
|
|
70 |
Chris |
KC8ZSD |
Tech |
2004 |
|
|
71 |
Jason |
KC8ZSE |
Tech |
2004 |
|
|
72 |
Matt |
KC8ZSF |
Tech |
2004 |
|
|
73 |
Eliza |
KC8ZSG |
Tech |
2004 |
|
|
74 |
Ben |
KC8ZSH |
Tech |
2004 |
|
|
75 |
Chris |
KC8ZSI |
Tech |
2004 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
76 |
Nathan |
KD8BPO |
Tech |
2005 |
|
|
77 |
Garrett |
KD8BPQ |
Tech |
2005 |
|
|
78 |
Travis |
KD8BPP |
Tech |
2005 |
|
|
79 |
Levi |
KD8BPR |
Tech |
2005 |
|
|
80 |
Jenn |
KD8BPS |
Tech |
2005 |
|
|
81 |
Britton |
KD8BPU |
Tech |
2005 |
|
|
82 |
Abby |
KD8BPT |
Tech |
2005 |
|
|
83 |
Adam |
KD8BPV |
Tech |
2005 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 84 | Sam | KD8CKU | Tech | Fall 2005 | |
| 85 | Erin | KD8DGQ | Tech | 2006 | |
| 86 | Kevin | KD8DGR | Tech | 2006 | |
| 87 | Danny | KD8DGS | Tech | 2006 | |
| 88 | Spencer | KD8DGT | Tech | 2006 | |
| 89 | David | KD8DGU | Tech | 2006 | |
| 90 | Tim | KD8DGV | Tech | 2006 | |
| 91 | Christian | KD8DGW | Tech | 2006 | |
| 92 | Angela | KD8DGX | Tech | 2006 | |
| 93 | Reuben | KD8DGY | Tech | 2006 | |
| 94 | Tommy | KD8DGZ | Tech | 2006 | |
| 95 | Drew | KD8DHA | Tech | 2006 | |
| 96 | Phil | KD8DHB | Tech | 2006 | |
| 97 | Lucas | KD8DHC | Tech | 2006 | |
| 98 | Brandon | KD8DHD | Tech | 2006 | |
| 99 | Nick | KD8DHE | Tech | 2006 | |
| 100 | Matt | KD8DHF | Tech | 2006 | |
| 101 | Kit | KD8DHG | Tech | 2006 | |
| 102 | Stewart | KD8KML | Tech | 2009 | |
| 103 | Jordan | KD8KPI | Tech | 2009 | |
| 104 | Ben | KD8KPJ | Tech | 2009 | |
| 105 | Brent | KD8KPK | Tech | 2009 | |
| 106 | Matt | KD8KPL | Tech | 2009 | |
| 107 | Riane | KD8KPM | Tech | 2009 | |
| 108 | Maggie | KD8KPN | Tech | 2009 | |
| 109 | Jordan | KD8KPO | Tech | 2009 | |
| 110 | Taylor | KD8KPP | Tech | 2009 | |
| 111 | Aaron | KD8KPQ | Tech | 2009 |
04/05/09
