Date: October 2023
Amount: $5,000

Winchester Community High School/Driver Middle School WF9DHS Club is a school club looking to expand their radio shack. Their goal is to support students in learning more about STEM subjects, advancing skills in amateur radio, obtaining higher licenses offered by ARRL, and growing the number of students involved in the club.

This grant will enable the school to build out their radio shack to include an HF radio, antennas, and other equipment. The local county amateur radio club, WD9EXZ, has provided the school club with a 2m radio and all items needed for taking and passing the Technician class license. WF9DHS is hoping the new equipment will help continue to grow interest in the Middle School and High School. The students plan to run a net on HF, participate in POTA, and take part in ARRL contests.

Sweet Dreams for Randolph County Kids is a nonprofit acting as the fiscal sponsor for this project to minimize the administrative burden for the school.

Update

Sweet Dreams for Randolph County Kids (Sweet Dreams) is a nonprofit serving underprivileged children in Randolph County, Indiana, one of the poorest counties in the state. A local school amateur radio club (WF9DHS), serving the county’s Winchester Community High School and Driver Middle School, asked Sweet Dreams if they could submit a grant request to ARDC in order to allow them to improve their radio shack so they could add an HF radio, antennas, and additional needs. A local club had provided the student club with HTs as well as assistance in instruction for passing their license exams, and now the student club was ready to take the next step. This would also help in fostering interest in amateur radio and growing the club.

The effort was a success. Several members of the local club worked together with Sweet Dreams leadership to request the grant and then once received, work with the students to install the equipment. The club was able to obtain the items they sought and members were even able to attend the Dayton Hamvention in 2024 with some of the grant money. They were able to obtain discounted equipment at Hamvention (where they were even able to meet with ARDC staff) which helped put the grant money to its fullest use. They were also able to purchase the components to build a CubeSat satellite which helped students develop their electronics and soldering skills. The students have become familiar with the radio equipment and are waiting on approval to install the permanent antenna at the school. The radios and additional gear will serve the club and future student members for years to come.