Amateur Radio in Space - ER - NASA

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Activity: Waves, Waves, Everywhere• Identify the components of a radio wave• Identify the ranges of frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum• Observe water waves• Create waves in different frequenciesThis activity will allow students to understand the relationship betweenwater waves and air waves by learning about their parts. Students will alsolearn about frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum. They will workindividually and in teams. Younger students will observe and draw waves inthe water and with a Slinky. Older students will be able to see the relationshipof radio waves to other waves in the electromagnetic spectrum and willbe able to identify these parts. They will work in pairs to observe and createa visual representation of waves in varying frequencies.• Glass or metal pan• Water• White paper• Eye dropper• 1 Slinky per group of 4; or• 1 short rope or jump rope• Data Collection Sheet• Science as Inquiry• Physical Science• Transfer of Energy• Science and Technology• Understanding About Science and Technology• Technological Knowledge– Technological Concepts and Principals• Problem Solving• Patterns• RelationshipsObjectivesActivity OverviewMaterialsScienceStandardsTechnologyStandardsMathematicsStandardsTimeframe: 30–45 minutes9 Amateur Radio in Space—A Teacher’s Guide With Activities in Science, Mathematics, and Technology
BackgroundInformationAll around the world every minute of every day people are talking, andthey are all talking at the same time. Think of places that you have been whereeveryone is talking at once—between classes at school, football games, shoppingmalls. Was it hard to hear just one particular conversation?When you turn on a radio, you hear people talking or you hear music. As youchange the tuner to successive stations, you find that there is some form of audio onall the stations. You may wonder how they can all talk at once, but you can onlyhear one station at a time. This is due, in part, to electromagnetic waves— wavesthat are partly electric and partly magnetic and carry energy emitted by vibratingelectric charges in atoms. All waves are on an electromagnetic spectrum.The electromagnetic spectrum is a continuous range of waves—radio waves,infrared, visible, ultraviolet, x-rays, and gamma rays. It is a means of classifyingelectromagnetic waves according to their frequency. Waves all move, or vibrate,at the same speed (“c” for constant), but differ in their frequency. The frequencyis how often a vibration occurs. This unit of frequency is called a hertz(Hz). When Heinrich Hertz first demonstrated radio waves in 1886, he foundthat the source of all waves was something that vibrates. Radio and televisionstations often announce that they are operating on a frequency of “x-number”of Megahertz. This is the frequency range assigned to them by the InternationalTelecommunication Union (ITU). This organization divides the entire range ofcommunications frequencies among those who use them. This includes commercialradio, television, and Amateur Radio. Radio waves vibrate at the lowestfrequency and have the longest wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum.Visible light is just a small part of this vast spectrum. Light waves andradio waves are both electromagnetic waves that originate from the vibrationof electrons. Sound waves are not electromagnetic waves, but a mechanicalvibration of matter. So even though we hear a radio by means of sound waves,radio waves and sound waves are not the same.A specific radio frequency is assigned to Amateur Radio operators whenthey are transmitting to space. All Amateur Radio operators, this includes thosewho operate for Space Amateur Radio Experiments (SAREX) missions, use asmall portion of the frequency bands on the electromagnetic spectrum. Any amateurstation that is located more than 50km above Earth’s surface is defined bythe Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a space station. AmateurAmateur Radio in Space—A Teacher’s Guide With Activities in Science, Mathematics, and Technology 10
Page 1 and 2: National Aeronautics andSpace Admin
Page 3 and 4: Amateur Radioin SpaceNational Aeron
Page 5 and 6: IntroductionWhat Is aHam orAmateurR
Page 7: LicensesCall SignReferencesand Reso
Page 11 and 12: Let’s Begin 1. Gather students ar
Page 13 and 14: Data Collection SheetName _________
Page 15 and 16: Activity: Can I Hear You?ObjectiveA
Page 17 and 18: Sheet their observations of what ha
Page 19 and 20: Activity: “Hello Over There”Obj
Page 21 and 22: ForYoungerStudentshappen, solve the
Page 23 and 24: Data Collection SheetWhat Materials
Page 25 and 26: BackgroundInformationLet’s BeginC
Page 27 and 28: Data Collection SheetName _________
Page 29 and 30: Appendix BSpace AmateurRadio Experi
Page 31 and 32: Space AmateurRadio Experiment(SAREX
Page 33 and 34: Regional EducatorResource CentersNA
Page 35: Please PlaceStamp HerePost OfficeWi

Amateur Radio in Space - ER - NASA

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