Community & Business
12 May, 2022
Students embrace radio training
A GROUP of high-flying students from Kairi State School have almost completed their amateur radio licence course, making them a step ahead when it comes to the art of radio communication.
A GROUP of high-flying students from Kairi State School have almost completed their amateur radio licence course, making them a step ahead when it comes to the art of radio communication.
Amateur radio is a technical hobby that requires a qualification to work and connect the devices being used by emergency services, SES, crisis workers and disaster communication officers to communicate effectively between each other.
Enrichment teacher for Kairi State School, Jean McMaster, is working alongside Tablelands Radio and Electronic Club secretary Stewart Dunk and Tablelands Regional Council’s Emergency Management senior advisor Sarah Dean to get the kids the appropriate licensing that will last a lifetime.
“It is a six-week course for the kids that are in our enrichment program at school and kids take time out of their learning time to participate in these activities,” Ms McMaster said. “It goes under the category of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), and it helps kids expand their knowledge and opportunities.”
Ms Dean has helped take students through the course and explained how important it was for young people to have a source of emergency communication if disaster strikes their area. She explained that as well as the benefits of possessing such knowledge in the case of an emergency, students could use their licence to pursue career paths such as emergency services and disaster management.
“I think it will help not only Kairi but the broader community when it comes to a crisis – look at Cyclone Tracey, where people were able to hook up radios and communicate when there was no other way,” Ms Dean said. “It will help them to listen out for others in emergencies as well as allowing them to make the calls, especially when they are young and going out all the time. “Opening up their opportunities with this licence could also lead to them being encouraged to volunteer for emergency services in the future.”
Mr Dunk has had his licence for 40 years now and explained he has used his knowledge in amateur radio in the case of two emergencies already. He is now passing that knowledge down to the younger generation.
“As well as being good in emergencies, it’s an opportunity for kids to tinker around and talk to other amateur radio licence holders,” he said. “You can use this knowledge in telecommunications and even in music – there are so many career paths for these young people.”
