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| Ham Radio Event Fills Airwaves |
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| News | |||
| Written by Brandon Steinert | |||
| Wednesday, 01 July 2009 07:00 | |||
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The airwaves were crowded last weekend. Local ham radio enthusiasts set up several stations outside of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers building at Hillsdale Lake, trying to reach as many other ham radio operators across the United States as possible during the American Radio Relay League’s annual field day event. The activities continued nonstop from noon Saturday until Sunday afternoon.  The radio operators used a variety of communication methods, ranging from simply talking into a microphone to using Morse code. Curtis Gibson said the Wheat State Wireless Association used only one radio at previous field day events. This year, members used three radios simultaneously. “The past couple years, we’ve just played at it,” said Gibson, who owns the Electronically Speaking Radio Shack store in Osawatomie. He said the club wanted to be more competitive this year. The century-old practice is a hobby for most, but it is also considered a community service. Spring Hill resident Terry Reim said he enjoys the camaraderie and the fun of amateur radio, but he also appreciates its necessity in times of emergency. According to MSNBC.com, ham radios were used for rescue efforts after Hurricane Katrina wiped out most other methods of communication in the South in 2005. Amateur radio operators all over the world keep their skills honed in case their area is faced with a similar situation. The national field day “is really an exercise in how well we can deploy and how quickly we can deploy (our equipment),” Reim said. “We learn something new each time.” Hillsdale resident David Jacobs said it’s important for amateur radio operators to learn from their mistakes and to know how to be prepared during the event, because needed equipment might not be available in the event of an emergency. He said people interested in getting started in the hobby can do so for only about $200, but some individuals spend thousands of dollars on advanced equipment and large antennas. All amateur radio operators are required to be licensed by the Federal Communications Commission. The United States has three classes ordered from novice to expert: technician, general and extra. Operators are designated a class after taking an examination, and more experienced operators are allowed to use more frequencies. For more information about the American Radio Relay League and its field day, go online to www.ARRL.org.
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