[K3CAL] Assistance with the Scout's Radio Merit Badge on 8/9

Sun Aug 9 08:32:43 EDT 2026

I'll be traveling.  If my wife is driving, I may be able to hop on ECHOLINK
with a pc and hotspot.

On Sat, Aug 8, 2026, 7:52 PM Mike Nasitka, AL3G via K3CAL <
k3cal at mailman.qth.net> wrote:

> Good Evening All,
>
> Thanks for everyone’s willingness to help out with the Scout’s Radio Merit
> Badge tomorrow.  I have 30 Scouts registered.  A great turn out.  Hopefully
> we can get some to continue on and get their tickets. The class starts at
> 1300.  As the plan stands now, I have the following folks who have
> volunteered to assist:
> At the Church:
>
>    - Drew / KN4VWB
>    - Jon / KD3DEF
>
>
> On the Air:
>
>    - Brian / KB3WFV
>    - Shawn/ N3AE
>
>
> Either location:
>
>    - Dale / KC3RKP
>
>
> TBD:
>
>    - Dick T / AE3DT
>
>
> My plan for the class flow is something like this:
>
>    - Some classroom work with everyone first- give them the basic
>    knowledge to be able to do QSO
>    - Break them into 3 groups.
>       - 1 group will work on finishing the rest of the book requirements,
>       - 1 each to work in the 2 other rooms making QSOs.
>
> This is the same flow that K2BSA used very successfully to run 2 merit
> badge classes a day for 9 straight days.  I sat through one of their
> classes while I was at Scouting National Jamboree 2 weeks ago.
>
> I don’t anticipate we’ll start before 1400 with the on-the-air part.  If
> folks could be monitoring a few minutes before 1400, that would be great.
>
>  I’m planning on bringing the following radios:
>
>    - HF:
>       - Yaesu FT-891 w/ tuner (Thanks to the club raffle!)
>       - Yaesu FT-857 w/ tuner
>       - Xeigu G90
>    - VHF/UHF
>       - Yaesu FTDM-400
>       - (Also the -857).
>    - Antennae:
>       - EFHW
>       - Chameleon Lightweight Portable Off-Center Fed Dipoles OCF-40
>       - 20 and 40M ham sticks.
>       - Several VHF/UHF
>
>
> I’m thinking about having 1 group make contacts on the VHF repeater, and
> the other group working HF.  I’m thinking we can coordinate HF Freq’s on
> the repeater?. Each station will have list of questions the Scouts can ask
> on the air- not required that they use them, but, can be used if they need
> something to read to get over mic-fright.  I’m also bring a bunch of FRS
> type radios, and am thinking the kids can QSO amongst themselves while they
> wait for their turn at the mic. I’d like to get every Scout at least 2
> QSO’s- one on VHF/UHF and 1 on HF.
>
> Ellen, my kids and I will be at the church around noon to hang at least 2
> of the HF antennae (There are 2 nice tress on the front of the church along
> Main Street that I can at least get the EFHW into without much of a
> problem.  I’ll also be putting the 2 VHF/UHF antennae outside the windows
> as well.  I think there is enough separation between the 2 HF antennas- if
> we’re operating 2 HF stations at the same time.. each of the 2 stations
> will be in a different room.  I wasn’t able to hit the repeater with my HT
> in the basement yesterday.  The class will be in the basement- and I’ll be
> able to pass the antenna cable out the windows. If you’re familiar with the
> layout of the church, class will be in the Fellowship Room, and the radios
> will be set up in the 2 classrooms down the hall.
>
> Jon and Drew, if you could be there by 1330, that would be greatly
> appreciated… Early is fine as well.
>
> Dale, your preference if you want to assist at the church, or on the air-
> I think we could run 3 stations if you were at the church?
>
> For awareness, I’ve attached the QSO card that they’ll each get when the
> complete their QSO, as well as the worksheet they’ll be completing in class.
>
> 73s,
> Mike / AL3G
> 302-535-2144
>
>
>
>
>
> On 07/31/2026 7:55 PM EDT Mike Nasitka, AL3G via K3CAL <
> k3cal at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>
>
> Good Afternoon,
>
> I’ll be teaching the Radio Merit Badge to the Scouts on the afternoon from
> 1-5P on Sunday, 9 August.  It will be held at Trinity United Methodist
> Church (90 Church St, Prince Frederick).   One of the requirements is that
> they complete a QSO. I am looking from some assistance from the club in
> helping the Scouts the meet that requirement.
>
> I plan on setting up at least a portable VHF/UHF Station, and a Portable
> HF Station.  At a minimum, I'm requesting one or 2 folks be listening on
> the repeater, or a given HF Freq after about 3p and talk to a group of
> scouts.  Right now, I have 20 kids signed up for the merit badge, and they
> all need a QSO.  I just got back from the Scout’s National Jamboree at
> Summit Bechtel Scout Reserve, and talked to a bunch of scouts that were
> working on their radio merit badge.  The “script” they were given on the
> repeater was for them to call CQ, and when someone answers, tell their
> first name, troop, and ask the other op their name, and at least one or 2
> questions (We mostly talked about the Jamboree, or radio)  Some of the
> questions they came up with were pretty insightful.  Each QSO was pretty
> short.  They asked their couple questions, have a short QSO, and hand it
> over to the next Scout- the licensed OP at the K2BSA would do the station
> ID after all the Scouts would be done.  I’m pretty sure that was the same
> basic script they were following on HF as well.
>
> In addition, I request 1 or 2 folks assist at the church to operate either
> / both the VHF and HF stations and help the Scouts make their QSOs.  If I
> can get someone to assist, I can open up the class to more Scouts- I
> already have a waiting list of 4 Scouts. Without another OP, I don’t think
> I can get more than 20 Scouts through the merit badge in the allotted
> time.  If a couple folks are able to operate the station, I think I can all
> the Scouts through the initial requirements so they understand what a radio
> is, what callsigns are, what constitutes a QSO, RF Safety, etc. And then
> break the Scouts into 2 (or more groups) and I can teach the rest of the
> requirements, and the other OPs can run the Scouts thru QSOs.  It may also
> allow the Scouts to have QSO w/ someone out there in HF land.
>
> If anyone is interested in splitting the teaching with me, let me know….
>
> Please let me know if you’re going to be available to help either at the
> church, or talk to Scouts on the radio.
>
> Thanks, and 73’s
> Mike / AL3G
>
> (Hopefully this makes it out on the reflector….)
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