The Villages Amateur Radio Club hosted its summer Camp Villages program this week, in which club members helped the kids learn how to build their own functioning AM radio kit at Colony Cottage Recreation Center.
Attending Camp Villages for her seventh year from Miami, Kaley Kelly said that this activity was “her first time” but expressed much anticipation towards building her own AM radio.
Chanda Martin of the Village of Pennecamp said that her grandson, Parker Rice, who was visiting from Oklahoma City with his brother Noah, were anxious about participating in the activity and “did not even want to go” because of the seemingly daunting task of building an AM radio.
However, after working together with his helpful mentor Tony, a member of the Amateur Radio Club, Martin said that Parker ultimately enjoyed it very much and was enthusiastic.
Throughout the event, the children’s countenances appeared focused and inquisitive as they worked on their radios and listened intently as their mentors at each station guided them.
Along with the display of hard work at each station, teamwork was also apparent among the children. Kaye and Jerry Hasson’s grandchildren, Jacob and Carson from Jacksonville, harmoniously worked as they aided one another to make each of their own radios.
The first camper to complete their radio was Nico Heilemann, who was visiting his grandaunt Irma Kleimach of Glenbrook all the way from Ulm, Germany. Nico tested his radio, but eventually had to go outside to receive signal and listen to AM-640 WVLG.
Larry Russo, vice president of the Amateur Radio Club, said that he wanted the Camp Villagers to “get an interest in electronics and technology” after the event. Russo had been involved with radios since he was 14 and had a career in engineering. He hopes that the program will spark an affinity for engineering and is glad to see that the children are physically and mentally engaged in the activity.
