Ham radio field day shows off vital link

Published 9:57 pm Tuesday, June 3, 2008

When I thought pedal-pushers were dead, they came back, ugly as ever, called capris.

Thinking ham radio was outdated, I learned it’s on the front burner of communications, as wonderful as always in times of emergencies.

In fact, the Washington State Emergency Management Division and the Washington State Patrol are asking amateur radio operators to join the AMBER Alert system, which provides lickety-split child-kidnapping notifications.

The agencies have asked about 27,000 licensed radio operators in our state to join the mission that quickly warns folks about abductions.

But isn’t ham radio as outdated as garter belts? Rob Harper, State Emergency Management Division spokesman, said hams still provide the community with a vital communications link.

“It increases the range and distribution of the alert message, especially in rural areas where cell or phone service is spotty,” Harper said. “The amateur radio system is very dependable and will quickly transmit alerts, in contrast to delays which can be experienced with some commercial broadcast networks.”

Vic Henry on Camano Island is ready to go on the air to help in times of crisis. The retired sergeant for the Island County Sheriff’s Office got started in amateur radio in the Army, where he learned Morse code.

Remember — dit, dot, dash.

He left the service and ham radios behind in 1962 but picked up the hobby when he retired. He is president of the Stanwood Camano Amateur Radio Club, started in 1990 to aid communication in the area.

Gov. Gregoire proclaimed it to be Amateur Radio Week June 23-29. Hams (Henry said it’s fine to call them hams) meet June 28 and 29 at the Twin City Sportsmen’s Club in Stanwood for an annual SCARC Field Day event.

“This is a test about communicating with as many stations as possible in a 24-hour period, using various antennas and radios,” Henry said. “It also is a training day for new licensed hams, and a refresher for older operators.”

It’s an international event. They’ve invited several officials to attend.

“We’ve made this a big push for 2008,” Henry said. “With so many emergencies: wind, floods and earthquakes, we needed to bring communications to the forefront.”

The Stanwood and Camano Club is service oriented, one of only three in our state providing licensing classes, testing, special programs and community support, Henry said.

“The club is open to any and all who are interested in amateur radio communications, from talking with locals to doing a moon bounce.”

A moon bounce is just that, Henry said, bouncing a signal off the moon.

Henry (call sign N7KRE) spends an hour or two a day making contacts. On a good day he may be on his radio for up to six hours talking to old friends.

One of his greatest contacts was helping a man sailing alone near Hawaii during a hurricane.

“He was trying to find his way,” Henry said. “I worked with a California station to assist him out of the eye of the storm and kept in contact with him, as his only communication at the time was amateur radio.’

There are lots of stories, he said, about amateurs around the world providing emergency links.

“Hurricane Katrina was an example where they stepped in and provided service,” Henry said. “And there are many other situations that involve saving lives.”

Columnist Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451 or oharran@heraldnet.com.

Annual field day

Visit the Stanwood Camano Amateur Radio Club annual Field Day June 28 and 29 at the Twin City Sportsman’s Club, east of Stanwood off 64th Avenue NW (Woodland Road). Setup on June 28 will be from 6 a.m. to noon, when operating begins.

Expect dignitaries at 1 p.m., then communications operations continue until noon June 29.