Building Antennas, Building Skills, and Getting Ready for Ham Camp

Our latest GSARA meeting was a perfect example of what amateur radio is all about: learning something new, sharing skills, working together, and helping introduce the next generation to the hobby.

The evening had two projects happening side-by-side. While several members tackled their own Tape Measure Yagi antenna builds, another group turned the meeting room into an assembly line to prepare radio and antenna kits for our upcoming Ham Radio Summer Camp.

Five New Tape Measure Yagis Hit the Air

Five participants took on the challenge of building their first Tape Measure Yagi antenna—and everyone had a blast doing it.

These weren't just "put the pieces together and go home" kits. The builders got some real hands-on experience along the way, including learning how to solder, with some holding a soldering iron for the very first time. They also practiced crimping connectors onto coax, assembling the antenna elements, and learning how cutting and trimming an antenna changes its match on the 2-meter band.

There were plenty of questions, a little troubleshooting, and some trial and error—which is exactly how you learn.

By the end of the evening, five new antennas had been built, and their owners walked away with not only a new piece of gear but also a better understanding of how antennas actually work.

That's a win in our book.

Meanwhile... the Ham Camp Assembly Line Was Moving!

On the other side of the room, club members stepped up to help us tackle another big project: preparing the equipment for the upcoming Ham Radio Summer Camp.

Our goal was to assemble 20 complete radio and antenna kit bags for the students, with everything organized and ready for camp week.

Members jumped into different stations on our makeshift assembly line, sorting components, preparing antenna parts, organizing radios and accessories, packing bags, and performing quality-control checks to make sure everything was where it belonged.

And, of course, there was our brief adventure attempting to install coax connectors before discovering we had the wrong size connectors.

Sorry about that one!

Even with that little hiccup, everyone jumped in, experimented, helped each other, and kept the assembly line moving. That's ham radio.

A Surprise Is Waiting for the Students

One of the things we're especially excited about is something the students don't know yet.

During Ham Camp, they're going to discover that they aren't simply learning how to operate a radio—they'll be receiving an HT of their own to continue exploring amateur radio after camp is over.

We can't wait to see their reaction.

A special thank-you goes to Radioddity, which generously donated 12 Baofeng UV-5R Mini radios to help make this possible.

We'd also like to thank Dennis, N1IMW, New Hampshire Section Manager, and the ARRL for donating 12 Technician-class license study guides for the students. Those books give the kids another opportunity to take what they learn during camp and continue toward earning their own amateur radio license.

The radios may get them excited, but giving them a pathway to becoming licensed operators is where this project can really have a lasting impact.

This Took a Club

Projects like this don't happen because of one or two people.

They happen because members show up.

Thank you to everyone who attended the meeting, donated money or materials, helped build and organize the kits, checked and rechecked the bags, attempted those coax connectors with us, answered questions, taught new skills, and simply jumped in wherever help was needed.

We also want to thank the volunteers who will be joining us at the school during Ham Camp. Preparing the equipment is only the first step. Having amateur radio operators there who are willing to spend their time working with the students, answering questions, demonstrating the hobby, and encouraging them is what will make the experience memorable.

From five members building their first Tape Measure Yagi to an assembly line producing 20 student kits, this meeting captured something important about GSARA:

We aren't just talking about amateur radio. We're building, learning, teaching, and making opportunities for other people to discover it.

And very soon, 20 students are going to find out just how much work the club has been doing behind the scenes to make their Ham Camp experience something special.