In high school, my father bought me a Heath Kit short wave radio as a Christmas gift. We spent the next two weeks soldering the circuit boards. After we finished the radio, I can still remember the first time I picked up an international signal from Europe. A sense of wonder went through my mind as to how that small box could pick up such a distant radio signal.
In the Spring of 2008 I received $1000 from the Thompson Education Foundation's creativity grant to purchase a short wave radio and antenna. My goal was to have students use the radio and Data Q chart recorder for various radio telescope projects. One of these projects includes the daily passing of the milkyway which can be picked up at 29.9 MHz and measured with a chart recorder. I also wanted students to have an opportunity to get their HAM radio licence and transmit with this transceiver.
Zak, Kevin, Chet, and Derick, installing the Di-Pole antenna
Megan using the Data Q chart recorder with the radio telescope.
Results will be posted soon.
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