Calling all People Interested In Ham RadioThursday, June 24, 2010 ─ Story and photo by James Breig ─ Ham radio enthusiasts will share their hobby with people in southern Rensselaer County on June 26-27 as part of a nationwide public demonstration of emergency communications. Members of the East Greenbush Amateur Radio Association will be displaying their skills and equipment at the Masonic Temple, located at 710 Columbia Turnpike. “We invite the public to come and see ham radio’s new capabilities and learn how to get their own FCC radio license before the next disaster strikes,” said a press release from the association. “Over the past year, the news has been full of reports of ham radio operators providing critical communications during unexpected emergencies in towns across America, including the California wildfires, winter storms and tornadoes” as well as during worldwide events, such as the recent earthquake in Haiti. At the demo, the public will be able to view innovations in digital and satellite capabilities, voice communications, and even Morse code. “Like most communities, East Greenbush and the Capital District don’t expect a major emergency,” said Lee Hatfield Jr., public information officer of the East Greenbush Amateur Radio Association. “But they happen, and losing communications quickly can turn an emergency into a real disaster.” He told Greenbush Life that he has “been interested in two-way radio communication since I was a child. My dad’s two older brothers had CB radios in the 1960s, back when CB was actually licensed. I always thought it was neat to be able to talk thru the radio waves.” Hatfield’s father helped him get a CB, and “he got the license so I could talk on the radio. I got to meet a few hams in the early 1970s, while I was in the Boy Scouts. Ever since then, I wanted to get my Amateur Radio license. I passed my Amateur Radio Operator tests in 2007.” Through his ham radio activities, Hatfield said, “I have been having a lot of fun being able to talk to people all around the world. I have talked to somebody in all 50 states and in many countries that I will probably never get to visit, such as South Africa, Cuba, Russia, South Korea, England and Scotland.” His ham radio experience has extended into emergency situations. “In New York state, we have had a few bad ice storms that pulled phone and power lines down,” he explained. “As a ham enthusiast, I can help to relay a message to family and friends that all is okay or let them know if a person needs help.” As an example, Hatfield said, “last year during the bad December snow/ice storm, I helped to pass along a message to a person’s daughter that all was okay at home, that mom was fine and not to worry. Neither the cell phone nor the house phone was working. Ham radio is about being able to get a message through when the power is out and the phone lines are down.” Hatfield expects the public demonstration to be fun as well as “a validation to the hundreds of Amateur Radio volunteers who have spent thousands of hours providing emergency communications, public service work and other benefits throughout our community and region.” The nationwide event is sponsored by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), a national organization for ham radio. Its slogan is “When All Else Fails, Ham Radio Works.” According to the ARRL, there are more than 650,000 Amateur Radio licensees in America and more than 2.5 million around the world. The ARRL says that the field day is “the single most popular on-the-air event held annually in the U.S. and Canada. Each year, over 35,000 amateurs gather with their clubs, friends or simply by themselves to operate. It is a time where many aspects of Amateur Radio come together to highlight our many roles. It is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate Amateur Radio to local elected community leaders, key individuals with the organizations that Amateur Radio might serve in an emergency, as well as the general public.” To learn more about Amateur Radio, go to www.emergency-radio.org. The East Greenbush demonstration will be held between 2 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday, June 26-27. 73 de K2HAT Lee This story and more is listed at:
KEN BERGLOF, K6SRU Copyrighted ©2006 Tri-County Amateur Radio Association. All Rights Reserved. Built/Maintained by Ken Berglof, K6SRU on 02/25/2010 11:40 PM |