The US Navy’s Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) has adopted Amateur Radio training as a possible new approach to basic RF and electronics instruction. More than 20 NAWCWD employees took part in a week-long class in Point Mugu, California, in December. The class, which culminated in an examination session for the Technician licensed, offered NAWCWD employees a novel approach to teaching radio propagation, said Brian Hill, KF4CAM, the lead for electromagnetic maneuver warfare experimentation in the Avionics, Sensors and E*Warfare Department. Hill, who got his license while he was still in high school, is also the department’s “innovation ambassador.”
“I looked at the breakdown of current new hires and saw that many had degrees in computer science and thought that their classwork might not have covered things like RF propagation,” Hill said. Rather than have employees sit through hours of PowerPoint briefings, Hill thought that a licensing course might be a more dynamic, hands-on approach to convey the basics — and cover areas such as directional antennas, signal propagation, and modulation that are necessary for their work.
Initially, Hill had 10 class slots funded, but then Target Design Engineering Branch Head Ian Mann, KI6YVO, got wind of the class, saw its potential, and helped get funding to expand participation. Mann, a General-class licensee and a ham for nearly 10 years, said he’s been able to apply knowledge learned in the class to his NAWCWD work.
Target Systems Division head Milton Gabaldon, also saw merit in the approach. He sat in on the classes, took the exam, and he’s now KM6YPA. For him, it’s about connecting the dots.
“It’s about introducing people to electronics, to start understanding what RF is all about …so when we talk about it in the test and evaluation world, [students] know what we’re talking about,” Gabaldon said. “They get a better view than ‘I just do software.’ Now they see ‘My software controls this piece, which sends out RF jamming signals that protect the warfighter.’ That’s the most important takeaway.”
In all, 23 employees who took the Technician exam passed, and several also successfully tested at for General and Amateur Extra licenses. Hill hopes to offer more hands-on classes in the future, and he’s planning a Fox Hunt for the near future, as additional hands-on training. — Thanks to NAWCD and Public Affairs Officer Kimberly Brown; some information from C4ISRNet
SOURCE: ARRL
Antenna
Attic Mounted HF Loop Antenna In HOA, Does It Work?
“I went to my friends house to check out his setup and get him up and running on some HF digital modes. A lot of hams are struggling in an HOA w... Read more
KT31WARC, 18.068-18.168 / 24.890-24.990 MHZ
The updated KT31WARC offers flexibility in size and frequencies. It is truly unique in many ways. The KT31WARC covers 12,17 and 20 or 30 meters. 20 or... Read more
Reference Station Antenna Redux: MFJ-2010 OCFD for 40, 20, 10, 6m
“The MFJ-2010 off-center-fed dipole (OCFD) looks like a much better candidate for the reference station antenna. This video looks at is features... Read more
VHF
Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) Stations Encouraged to Register and File Post-Event Reports
Scouting’s Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) officials are asking JOTA 2016 participants not only to register for this year’s event, but to follow up with a... Read more
New linear satellite HO-113 and its issues
Watch John Brier KG4AKV work new linear satellite HO-113 / XW-3 and talk about some of its issues so you can learn how to work it successful... Read more
Wouxun KG-879 Multifunctional wireless handheld two way radio
Wouxun KG-879 Description of Features 1. DTMF encoding and decoding 2. 105 groups DCS / 50 groups CTCSS 3. Wide /narrow bandwidth 4. Selection 5. ANI... Read more
Ham Radio Smartphone! Outfone Rangerfone S15 Android VHF/UHF
SpecificationFeaturesAccessories S15 Rugged Outdoor phone Specification Basic Parameter Model Rangerfone S15 Color Black Design Bar OS Android... Read more
Equipment
Antenna Genius
Did you know that Antenna Genius can be combined into a super switch matrix, expanding on the number of either antenna ports or the number of radios?... Read more
mercuryAT available in the next few days
List Price $795.00 km3km.com Read more
CatMeters for new Yaesu transceivers
CatMeters for new Yaesu transceivers For FT-450, FT-950, FT-991, FT-2000, FT-DX10, FT-DX101,FT-DX1200, FT-DX3000, FT-DX5000, FT-DX9000 Instantly... Read more
Italab – HF amplifier + 6 meters – 2KW
New HF amplifier 1,8 - 30 MHz -50-54 MHz, output power 2000 W (1800 to 50 MHz) Large TOUCH SCREEN display (7 "), 3 individually selectable antenna out... Read more