HAM’S LIFE

Post 705 of the American Legion sponsors Boy Scout Post 7050 and on May 6, 2010 the leader of that post invited me to give an amateur radio presentation to the boys.  Others quickly and eagerly responded to my call for help.  Just twelve days after receiving the invitation five other hams joined me to discuss and demonstrate the joys of ham radio to the group of boys.

After basic introductions and starting comments each team member did their part. 

Nancy, KI6INC did an excellent job of defining ham radio to the scouts.

Adam, KB8VOM, though pressured by a time restraint caused by a later than expected start and a seven o’clock opening of net deadline did a masterful job of an edit on the fly presentation of the importance of Amateur radio in emergency communications.

Lonnie, KI6ZYY provided all of the equipment and expertise necessary to operate as the net control station of the Tuesday night ARES net and thus showed the boys a typical amateur radio activity.  After the conclusion of the net Lonnie also worked with Lee in a Morse code demonstration.

Lee, KC6MCI sent the names of all the scouts and their leaders in Morse code while Lonnie copied and called out their names.

Eleanor, KI6CSO assisted Lonnie with receiving names and calls of those who checked into the net. 

After the meeting was over the boys continued to ask questions, looked at some of the items we brought to display, and each tried to learn how to send their name in Morse code. 

No! NASA is not looking for hams willing to operate from the planet Mars.  The MARS referred here is the Military Auxiliary Radio System formally known as the Military Affiliate Radio System. 

The program behind MARS started back in November 1925 under the leadership of Captain Thomas C. Rives of the United States Army Signal Corps.  Captain Rives organized a group of amateur radio operators with the intent of utilizing their talents to train soldiers how to use the new technology of radio communications.  He would also use the organization, which was then called Auxiliary Amateur Radio System (AARS), to assist in research and development of radio equipment to be used by the US Army.  AARS members could also provide an instant pool of already trained radio operators for military operations if needed.

That pool of ready trained operators proved very useful when the United States of America was suddenly thrust into war on December 7, 1941.  Many of its members of AARS became military radio operators.  AARS operations along with all amateur radio operations were suspended during the war.  In 1946 AARS was reactivated.

November 1948 AARS changed its name to Military Amateur Radio System (MARS) and was split into two separate groups, the Army MARS, and the newly formed United States Air Force MARS.  (The USAF became a separate branch of the US military on September 18, 1947.  Formally it was known as the Army Air Corp.)

MARS kept its acronym but changed its name to Military Affiliate Radio System on September 2, 1952. The Navy-Marine Corps MARS program was established on August 17, 1962.

The MARS program became well known for its handling of messages and phone patches for military personnel serving overseas.  Modern email and cell phones has almost eliminated the need for MARS to handle personal messages for those serving in the military. 

December 23, 2009 MARS again changed its name while keeping it well known acronym.  The new name for MARS is the Military Auxiliary Radio System.  The Department of Defense give the following definition of a military auxiliary: “an organized body of volunteers prepared to supplement the uniformed services or any designated civilian authorities by provision of specialized autonomous services when called upon or when situations warrant.”  The Civil Air Patrol and the Coast Guard Auxiliary are two examples of Military Auxiliaries. 

With the name change came a modification of its primary mission.  MARS now will provide auxiliary emergency communications for US Military and other federal agencies such as FEMA and Homeland Security.  MARS may now assist state, local, and select private and public agencies with emergency communications. The new focus of the MARS’ mission is homeland security. 

West Tennessee Amateur Radio Society (WTARS) steps forward to promote amateur radio and is to be commended for humanitarian efforts.

It all started when Bob Alper, W6KT, went to visit his friend and fellow ham Gary King, W4WKZ, in November 2008.  It was then that Bob discovered Gary’s 60 foot tower and antenna array had been damaged.  Gary is legally blind so he was not able to make repairs to his tower and antenna system himself. 

Along with his other amateur related activities, before his antennas were damaged, Gary daily reported weather conditions in Medon, TN, Gary’s home town, to the National Weather Service in Memphis, TN but after his antenna system was damaged he was unable to operate his station and thus not able to send in his daily weather report. 

Bob related Gary’s plight to other members of WTARS and the club was able to purchase a new tower and antenna system for Gary.  In the summer’s heat of July 2009 a group of WTARS members gathered at Gary’s home and poured 880pounds of concrete, which they mixed in five gallon buckets, to form a base for the new tower.  It took four more months to obtain the rest of the parts needed to complete the tower and antennas and install them. 

Finally after over a year of silence W4WKZ was back on the air on December fifth of 2009. 

WTARS is not unlike other clubs.  It does not have a large pot of money waiting to be used for such projects but it does have member who are willing to give of their time and personal finances to help a fellow ham in need. 

Thank you WTARS members for being an excellent example to us all. 

I got an email today from Sacramento Valley Section Manager of the ARRL, Ron W6JK,  just one day after publishing my blurb about becoming active in the community. 

The email reads as follows:

“The clubs and members of the ARRL have been asked by the FCC to aid in education efforts regarding the transition to digital television
broadcasting and information on installing converters where they are
needed. The clubs may develop and implement their own plans to serve by
providing information and help in their communities in the ways they
think best fits their situation, but are not to make ‘house calls’ or
do actual installations.
Beginning early January, FCC staff will use the volunteer contact
list information provided by the SMs to contact leaders of these
volunteering clubs and, where possible, arrange to meet at mutually
convenient times and locations for sharing information, A/V and printed
materials and training aids in this effort.
This looks like a low risk, high reward challenge for Amateur Radio.
Please consider this project for your club or as an individual effort
for the good of your community. As I get more details, I will forward
them to you. Also, please let me know as soon as you can if you want to
participate.”

This is an activity that hams should be jumping on like a duck on a June bug. 

For more information go to:  www.arrl.org/sections/?sect=SV

Ham radio is not an inalienable right!  The privileges of ham radio have been suspended in United States of America during war and those privileges can be permanently taken away in the future if we do not continue to prove our value.  Part 97.1 of the Federal Communications Commission describes the basis and purpose of Amateur Radio within its jurisdiction (USA).  Other countries would most likely have a similar statement in their Amateur Radio service rules and regulations. 

FCC 97.1 tells us that (I summaries) the purposes amateur radio is to provide noncommercial communications, particularly emergency communications. To advance radio art, advance skills in communications and technical phases of radio, provide an existing reservoir of trained radio operators, technicians, and electronics experts, and to enhance international goodwill.  Though personal enjoyment is not prohibited it is not included in the purpose.

In times past it was fairly easy to prove the importance of ham radio to society but today with cell phones, advanced electronics, and internet service it is harder for non-hams to see the importance.  Politicians are fed by the public so it is the public that must be convinced that we provide an important service to society.  We know the value of our service but how can we show the public our importance?

To prove our importance to the public we must be in front of the public doing what we do best, communicating.  One of the best ways of doing this is by finding local activities that can be enhanced by our presence.  Parades provide an excellent chance to do this by helping keep all the groups coordinated through ham radio.  Many other communities can also provide opportunity such as bike rides, trail hikes, street fairs, and any other activity where there may be the need of medical help, break down assistance, or coordination between people located in different areas of the activity. 

Such activities not only helps us to be in the public eye but it also enhances our abilities and hone our skills so when the real emergency comes we ill be ready.  Remember ham radio is sometimes the only communication system that remains viable [the word system is not totally accurate because ham radio is not technically a system and that is why it remains viable].  It is when we provide reliable communications during an emergency that we really shine and people see our value and we can only provide reliable communications during the stress and confusion of an emergency if we practice during nonemergency times.

Another way Amateur Radio Operators serve the community is by acting as a link between the National Weather Service and local communities in the United States of America.  These weather spotters take a position near an anticipated storm and report on wind gusts, hail size, rainfall, and cloud formations all of which could signal a developing tornado.  These operators also receive and distribute information from the National Weather Service.  The system is called SKYWARN™ and was developed early in the 1970s.

Each year sense 1999 a special day has been set aside to recognize the efforts and contributions of these volunteer amateur radio operators.  During this day participating operators will visit National Weather Service offices so they can make contact with other ham operators around the world. 

This year’s annual SKYWARN™  Recognition Day will be on Saturday December 6 starting at 0000 UTC and continuing for a full 24 hours.  More information can be found at http://hamradio.noaa.gov/ and http://www.crh.noaa.gov/hamradio/participating_offices.php . 

Certainly these operators deserve our support, respect, and thanks for their efforts.