RED RIVER GORGE, KY – A call went out over the airwaves: “CQ, CQ, CQ, school roundup. This is Kilo Charlie Zero Lima Kilo Victor.”
Hundreds of miles away in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge, a radio operator answered the call, connecting with a group of middle school students more than 400 miles away in Cottleville, Missouri.
Students at St. Joseph School were taking part in the American Radio Relay League’s School Club Roundup, a nationwide amateur radio event that allows students to connect with other “hams” across the U.S. and beyond. Their contact with the operator stationed in Red River Gorge was part of Parks on the Air, a program promoting communications from state and national parks.
“It’s really cool that you can talk to people — it’s just really fun,” said seventh grader Joey Risley, who made the connection to the Kentucky station. “You don’t know who you’re going to talk to next or where they’re from. That’s what makes it exciting.”
The event was led by Andrea Nunziante (KCØLKV), St. Joseph’s technology director and a ham radio operator for more than 25 years. He introduced students to the technology this year to demonstrate how radio communication can connect people across distances — without the need for cellphones or the internet.
“It’s cross-discipline because you can use it for geography, language, and science,” Nunziante said. “The goal is to get them interested in a way of communication that’s different.”
Students learned about frequencies, signal propagation, and the impact of solar activity on radio transmissions. Nunziante explained how solar flares can suddenly quiet the airwaves — “When there’s a big magnetic flare and you turn on the radio, it’s just quiet — really quiet,” he said.
Throughout the afternoon, students contacted radio operators in Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and even Canada, following the proper etiquette of the airwaves — listening before transmitting and keeping communications brief and courteous.
The operator in Red River Gorge wasn’t the only memorable contact. Fourth grader Marianna Dwyer spoke with Andrew Piper (KI5AIE), an 80-year-old ham from Calera, Oklahoma, who told students he’s been building and repairing radios since childhood.
Nunziante hopes the excitement will lead to the creation of a school ham radio club and a licensed station at St. Joseph.
“People think ham radio is for older folks, but it’s really for everyone,” he said. “This is something kids can actually do — and once they start, they discover a whole world out there waiting to talk back.”
About Parks on the Air in Kentucky
Kentucky’s scenic areas — including Red River Gorge, Natural Bridge State Resort Park, and Cumberland Falls — have become popular destinations for amateur radio operators participating in Parks on the Air (POTA). The program encourages licensed operators to set up temporary stations in state and national parks, combining outdoor recreation with global communication. Operators earn awards for each successful “activation,” while park visitors often get a firsthand look at the world of amateur radio in action.
Info Via St Louis Review
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