Today I spent some time at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, NH. It was the dedication of a new ham radio station, with the call letters KA1SKY, which will be used as a hands-on exhibition about the radio spectrum, space, and the invisible magic that attracted many of us to science and electronics.

I spoke with two of the (many) people who made this happen, and my thanks to Dave McDonald and Michael Crestohl. We talked about how all of this came to be, and also some ideas for you, in case you want to duplicate their results in your own community.

Update!  Check out the Center's web page discussing KA1SKY at http://www.starhop.com/education-and-exploration/ka1sky.aspx

This fully functional HF/VHF/UHF/Satellite amateur radio station is a unique exhibit that demonstrates and uses a part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The radio allows voice transmission and Morse code on thousands of frequencies of various wavelengths. With the guidance of volunteer amateur radio operators, you can talk to other “hams” around the country as well as contact the International Space Station when it is in a favorable position. Communication with satellites in space is also possible in order to receive and make transmissions to other parts of the world.