During the coronavirus crisis we’ve
been told to be socially distant and remain two meters apart.
Coincidentally, two meters is a very
popular amateur radio frequency range which, locally, has taken on special
meaning during the statewide shutdown.
Every day, at 11:00 a.m., local
amateurs -- called “hams” -- get together on the Lockport Amateur Radio
Association’s repeater (146.820 for all of you with police scanners) to check
in, check on others, offer camaraderie, and provide help – such as shopping
errands or donations of food and supplies -- to shut-ins or the ill who
desperately need it.
That daily net, frequented by 20 to 30
radio operators, has served as a beacon of hope, support and love during these
difficult times.
That speaks to the value of ham radio
as a two-pronged pursuit: It’s a hobby and a public service.
For hobbyists, it gives people of all
ages the chance to learn about, work with, and develop radio technology that
will allow them to communicate (by voice, Morse code, or computer) with fellow
ham radio operators around the corner or around the world.
From a public service standpoint,
amateur radio operators provide communications when storms and other natural
disasters wipe out phone networks, cable, and electricity or when societal
upheavals like Covid-19 turn the world upside down.
You might be familiar with amateur
radio by its presence in pop culture.
The movie “Frequency” starring Jim
Caviezel and Dennis Quaid had a plot based on a geomagnetic storm that allowed
a ham radio operator to talk to his deceased father decades earlier, which then
allowed them to change the course of history. Tim Allen’s character on “Last
Man Standing” is an amateur radio enthusiast and his hobby has played a part in
quite a few episodes of the show.
You might also recognize amateur from
its presence in the community.
If you’ve taken part in events like the
Ride for Roswell you’ve seen a small army of men and women with handheld and
mobile radios serving as communications support and observers for the riders.
Perhaps you’ve seen the folks from LARA showing off their ability to
communicate worldwide at the Niagara County Fair.
Getting licensed to take part in all this is an easy task. A few years ago the Federal Communications Commission abandoned the Morse code requirements for its permits, an obstacle that had proved difficult to many (especially the young) and had prevented them from entering the hobby. Now, you just need to pass a written exam, knowing radio and electrical theory as well as the FCC’s rules and regulations. There are plenty of study guides available and many of them actually provide the hundreds of possible questions and answers that the 35-question exams pull from. With time on your hands because of the coronavirus shutdown there’s no better time to study!
Once the State opens back up, you will be able to take the exam under the watchful eye of local hams. When that time comes, information about the exams and amateur radio in general can be found at the website of the American Radio Relay League (www.ARRL.org).
Back in 2011, I got my radio license (KC2ZZW) from
the federal government after decades of participating in other radio pursuits
like CB radio and listening to the police scanner or shortwave radio.
In my first days on the air I talked to exotic
locales like Argentina and St. Thomas with my modest low-power station. Since
then, I’ve talked to more than 80 different countries and more than half of our
states.
I also use ham radio, specifically VHF frequencies
like the aforementioned two meter band, as a lifeline. In many areas where I
enjoy the great outdoors in New York (like Allegany County and the Adirondacks)
there is no cell coverage, but my tiny walkie-talkie can reach ham radio
repeater systems listened to by area hams. That offers peace in mind and
preparedness for any sort of emergency you can encounter in the wilderness.
While the Internet has made the world a smaller
place -- allowing us to log on to our Facebook and Zoom accounts to share
messages with friends and family around the globe -- there’s still a place for
the joy and service afforded by ham radio. It’s pretty exciting that you can
use a small box of electronics and a wire antenna to talk to complete, but
welcoming strangers, on every continent or in every neighborhood.
In this era of social distancing, is there a more
perfect hobby?
From the 27
April 2020 Greater Niagara Newspapers and Batavia Daily News