The INSPIRE Project
The
INSPIRE Project
One of the many
projects I became involved with, since first becoming an
FCC-licensed Amateur Radio operator,
was a science-related experiment(project) called
"Project INSPIRE". INSPIRE is an acronym that stands for
"Interactive NASA Space Physics
Ionosphere Radio Experiments".
The INSPIRE Project was(is) a non-profit organization that was
first organized in 1992. At the time I became involved
in the project, the operations were overseen by a science
teacher at Chaffey High School in Ontario, California.
One of INSPIRE's principal sponsors was(is) the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA).
Over the years that I was involved with this project(beginning
in 1992), I worked with junior and senior high school science
teachers to involve their students in this project, which
helped organize student teams at schools and colleges across
the United States and around the world, to assist scientists
and researchers in studying and collecting data on the effects
of the Earth's ionosphere, magnetosphere and magnetic fields
on electromagnetic waves such as radio signals, including very
low frequency(VLF) radio waves.
I first learned about this project through an article that
appeared in the monthly QST magazine, as published by the American Radio Relay League,
of which I was a member, at the time. Since Amateur
Radio operators are deeply involved with radio waves, it made
sense that the INSPIRE Project people would run the article
about their study in QST magazine. I approached two
teachers at Abbotsford High School, at the time, about getting
involved in this project. Both of them agreed to
participate.
The first year of the project, two classes(LaVerne Harrison's
high school Physics class and a Technology Education class,
taught by Jerry Williams, at the high school) were each
involved in the constructing of VLF radio receivers from
kits. In subsequent years, Eric
Elmhorst's 7th grade science class and LaVerne Harrison's high
school Physics class,
in conjunction with student INSPIRE teams from other schools
around the country(and the world) conducted coordinated
recording sessions to collect data on VLF radio wave
propagation. In one year, they did the data collection
in conjunction with an annual solar eclipse, to see what
effect the elipse might have on VLF radio signals. In
other years, the data collection was done to coincide with
science experiments being conducted on board the U.S. space
shuttle. In those instances, a plasma generator and
modulated electron beam accelerator were operated from the
cargo bay of the U.S. space shuttle, to generate the VLF radio
signals.
Because 60 Hz alternating current(AC) electricity produces
serious interference to VLF radio receivers, one of my first
priorities was to locate a "quiet site" as far away as
possible from any AC power lines. I finally settled on a
site located in the Chequamegon National Forest, northwest of
Medford, Wisconsin.
Each year that I was involved in The INSPIRE Project, I would
start out my involvement by instructing that years' students
involved, in electromagnetic radiation and radio wave
theory. As mentioned earlier, the first year of
the project, the students then assembled the VLF receivers
from kits. In subsequent years, I brought several simple
electronic hobby kits to school, for the students to assemble,
using a soldering iron(of course, I instructed them in the
PROPER way of handling a HOT soldering iron, too!).
Then, just prior to our scheduled "on-site" data collection, I
would run the students through a "sample" data collection,
right at the school, so that they could rehearse the steps
that would need to be taken to successfully accomplish the
data collection. Following the data collection, I would
send the results in to The INSPIRE Project, in California.
Equipment involved in the data collection included: 1) the
assembled VLF radio receiver, 2) a special radio receiver used
to record an announcement of the current time from
the United States
National Institute of Standards and Technology's shortwave
radio station in Colorado(WWV), and 3) a portable tape
recorder.
You can learn more about Project INSPIRE here: http://theinspireproject.org/
Photo
Gallery
Here is what the assembled INSPIRE
equipment looked like, when set up out "in the field".
Starting from the top, the assembled & tested VLF radio
receiver. Below that, a cassette tape recorder, for
recording the signals received by the VLF radio. And
below that is a large speaker, used for listening, in "real
time", to the signals picked up by the VLF radio, with a WWV
time receiver located on top of the speaker. We used the
transmissions from the WWV receiver to record an accurate
"time stamp" at the start, and end, of each cassette tape, so
that a "time reference" would be imbedded on the tape, for the
scientists/researchers to use. Also visible in this
photo are 2 copper "ground stakes" that were put into the
ground, and connected to the VLF receiver, to help cut down on
extraneous noise from the receiver. And, above the VLF
receiver, was a long whip antenna, which would be connected to
the VLF receiver(Although, "in the field", we usually opted
for a long wire copper wire antenna, for better reception).
Another, somewhat long-range view, of the assembled INSPIRE equipment.
A class in the Technology Education Dept. at Abbotsford
Junior/Senior High School tests the newly-assembled INSPIRE
VLF radio receiver, by recording an announcement on cassette
tape.
Another photo of a class in the
Technology Education Dept. at Abbotsford Junior/Senior High
School testing the newly-assembled INSPIRE VLF radio receiver,
by recording a voice announcement at the beginning of a cassette
tape. The annoucements would include the date, the
location from which the recording was made, and the INSPIRE
team's name.
The Abbotsford High School's INSPIRE team, "on site", in the
Chequamegon National Forest, northwest of Medford, WI, during a
recording session. Exact date unknown, but I believe these
students are from LaVerne Harrison's Physics class. A
couple of the faces look familiar...
Who says Physics experiments can't be FUN, AS WELL AS
educational!!!
In one year(exact date unknown), the Project INSPIRE
investigators had a recording session scheduled to coincide with
a solar eclipse, so that they could determine what effect
a solar eclipse might have on VLF radio emissions. Again,
these students
are from LaVerne Harrison's Physics class. A couple of
the faces look familiar...They have set up a tripod, on
which they have mounted a piece of tagboard(or at least,
some sort of paper) which will allow them to SAFELY view the
solar eclipse, when it occurs.
Here's how the solar eclipse appeared, when being SAFELY
viewed. WARNING: NEVER look DIRECTLY into the sun!!!
In another year, the INSPIRE recording session coincided with a
late snowfall! Hey, the things that scientists(even
budding junior scientists) have to put with! Again, these
these
students are
from LaVerne Harrison's Physics class. I recognize
the teacher(LaVerne Harrison, with the red stocking
cap), and students Jessica Schultz and Andy Melvin.
As I mentioned earlier, above, as part of the
preparation for participating in the INSPIRE project, I
would have each class learn to use a soldering iron to
assemble an electronics project(hobby) kit(NOTE: The
very first class to participate in the INSPIRE project
actually assembled the VLF radio receiver used as part
of the project). These students are from LaVerne
Harrison's high school Physics class. A couple of
familar faces: Kara Melvin and Cami Grube.
Another
class learns to use a soldering iron to
assemble an electronics project(hobby)
kit. Again, these students are from
LaVerne Harrison's high school Physics
class.
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