The ARRL Puerto Rico Section has a new online training course for prospective amateur radio operators. Fifty-three students have enrolled in the course, taught by ARRL Technical Coordinator and Instructor Carlos Roig, WP4AOH, who draws from the ARRL License Manual and the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators pool of questions for the Spanish Zoom course. The course is open to anyone who is interested in becoming an amateur radio operator. In advance of the course, on March 16, 2024, Assistant Section Manager (ASM) Leyda Rios, WP4RBK, offered a Technician training demonstration to 10 registered students at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus.

The session was an overview of amateur radio and its various activities. Students were most interested in the band plan, the phonetic alphabet, and how to communicate with others. The instruction session also included an introduction to amateur radio equipment and antennas, including how to operate and set up the equipment. There was also a demonstration of a VHF/UHF radio to establish a simple repeater contact. "The range of amateur communication and the capabilities astounded the students," Rios said.  

Several students were also interested in learning more about how to utilize the radio equipment and how to establish their first contact, while others have an interest in emergency communications for this year's hurricane season.  

For additional information about the training course, contact Leyda Rios, WP4RBK, at wp4rbk@gmail.com.  

For information on how to become an amateur radio operator, visit ARRL | Licensing, Education & Training | Getting on the Air.