Members of the “Chicago Suburban Radio Association” demonstrated amateur radio to Boy Scout Troop 301 at the annual Berwyn Moose picnic on August 29th in North Riverside. CSRA members Scott Childers, Tom Mihm, Norman Malina and Jeff DeFrancesco set up temporary antennas and operated radio equipment, using generator power. The temporary station allowed the Boys Scouts to experience how ham radio operators are able to communicate across town and across the globe. During the demonstration, Scouts communicated with other hams as close as Kankakee, IL and as far away as Ukraine. Other contacts were made to operators in Whiting, IN, Little Rock, AR and even the island nation of Cuba. The scouts that showed particular interest in amateur radio will now work on obtaining their “Radio Merit Badge” and becoming licensed amateur radio operators.
The Chicago Suburban Radio Association is Illinois’ oldest amateur radio club and welcome both hams and non hams to its monthly meetings. The Association meets on the third Thursday of the month at The Grace Lutheran Church, located at 1101 Manchester in Westchester at 7:30pm. For more details about the CSRA, logon to http://www.CSRAHam.com or call 630-575-9650.
