Taking ham radio into the classroom

Motorola and the Malaysian Amateur Radio Transmitters’ Society (Marts) are establishing a network of school amateur radio clubs to instil interest in communications technology and innovation.

The radio club network involving 40 schools nationwide will also serve as response teams in emergencies or disasters.

Motorola Technology Sdn Bhd managing director Yew Tian Tek said RM300,000 would be invested to equip 40 schools each with professional two-way radio equipment, a base station, and three portable two-way radios.

He said the first school amateur radio club would start next month, adding that equipment would be installed in other schools by the end of the year.

He said 21 of the schools identified for the programme were in Penang. He said Motorola and Marts would assist the clubs by providing infrastructure and engineering sup-port.

“We will also train teachers who will be club advisers. We will also assist in acquiring the licence,” he said during the launch of the club by Marts president Datuk Muhammad Ismail at the Motorola plant in Bayan Lepas in Penang recently.

Yew said such clubs would expose the students to amateur radio which could encourage them to explore the technology further.

Yew later presented Premium deposit certificates worth RM28,950 to 66 children of Motorola employees who excelled in the UPSR, PMR, SPM and STPM examinations.

Muhammad said the amateur radio could serve as an alternative when other telecommunication systems like the Internet or telephone could not be used.

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story

Fabio IZ8FTW