[QCWA] Elmering 4th & 5th graders in "near space" applications of amateur radio

[Richard Rucker]

The following is about an after-school science program, Near Space  
Explorers (NSE), started this year by Matt Nowinski whose daughter is  
one of the students. Details are found here:

http://nearspace.dyndns.org:8080/

Matt and the kids are now planning to develop an experiment to be  
carried aloft by a future balloon launch by the Vienna Wireless  
Society.  Its website can be found here:

http://www.viennawireless.org/

More on VWS's past balloon flights can be found here:

http://www.viennawireless.org/balloon/index.php

I learned about this great idea via the following email message. I  
trust you will be as intrigued by this idea as I am.

73, Dick Rucker, KM4ML
QCWA Vic Clark Chapter 91
http://homepage.mac.com/rrucker/chapter91/


Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Matthew Nowinski" <mcnowinski at fastmail.us>
> Date: October 8, 2007 10:54:40 PM EDT
> To: Balloon at mail.viennawireless.org
> Subject: Re: [Balloon] report from 21 Sept meeting
>
>> School Presentation:   Dan, Phil and Matt - what is a good day to  
>> have a
>> couple VWS members show up at school to present photos and a story  
>> for
>> the school kids?

Dan and Phil are two of the Elmers from VWS:
   Dan Sullivan, KO1D
   Phil Wherry, AI4JF

> All,
>
> NSE had its first meeting this past Friday. We had 14 4th and 5th
> graders show up along with their parents for a kickoff organizational
> meeting. We talked about "near space", some of the space-related
> activities we have planned, as well as (of course) the "Seeds In  
> Space"
> experiment and the balloon launch. We also spent a little bit of time
> talking about VWS, who you guys are, and what you do.  Several of the
> kids were very fascinated by the tracking/telemetry aspects of the
> balloon mission, so I think you may just have a few potential amateur
> radio recruits in the bunch!

> See schedule online at 4:15PM - 5:30PM at Algonkian Elementary School
> in Sterling, VA. We are also planning some "field trips" including a
> trip to the National Weather Service in Sterling, VA (with a weather
> balloon launch after the tour!) and to the Iridium Satellite Control
> Center in Landsdowne, VA (thanks to some Boeing colleagues). I also
> wanted to re-engage with you guys regarding an amateur radio
> presentation to our group. If Fridays don't work, we can shift our
> weekly meeting to suit your schedule. Let me know what might work best
> for you.
>
> I will continue to keep you up to date from time to time on what we  
> are
> up to. This Friday, we will be "launching" some party balloons!
>
> Thanks,
>
> matt