Highland Amateur Radio Association to hold 'Introduction to Ham Radio' March 16

By John Levo
Highland Amateur Radio Association

Weather and climate-related issues have played havoc throughout North America in the past several months. We are well aware of the fires and mudslides in California and other parts of the West and Canada.  

Additionally, we have experienced the usual hurricanes in the South and the tornados in Alabama, Texas and the Plains. But we must agree a hurricane hitting North Carolina and Tennessee is most unusual. Then while Highland County was experiencing our own issues with snow and ice, only a few hundred miles from us communities in Eastern Kentucky were ravished by flood waters about the same time blizzards hit New England. Southern Ohio even experienced three minor earthquakes during the same time frame that caused little damage. 

In many of these instances, things taken for granted like cell, telephone and electric service were lost along with public service communications as provider infrastructure failed because of loss of power or facilities.  

Fortunately, a service that has been around since the early 1900s was there to step in and assist the local and state governmental agencies and local citizens and relief organizations by filling the gaps caused to normal communication channels by the loss power, lines, tower and structure destruction, highways and other infrastructure failures. That service is amateur radio-best known as ham radio.  

For decades, amateur radio has been the sole method of communications in disaster areas when all else fails. During these times of emergency, individual amateur radio operators fired up their personal power sources, used their own radio equipment and used their training to report good and bad news to local officials. This little known service gained a lot of publicity as many publications and the broadcast media have highlighted the various roles amateur radio operators played in saving lives and assisting recovery operations. 

These recent incidences have caught the attention of many people as several members of Highland County’s Highland Amateur Radio Association have commented about an increase in the numbers of inquiries they have received about the service and what it takes to earn a license.  

Therefore, HARA will conduct an “Introduction to Amateur Radio” question-and-answer program on Sunday, March 16 at the Hillsboro Global Methodist Church, 131 East Walnut Street, to tell about ham radio, its features and how to become licensed. This will lead to the group gathering for the next four Sundays at 2 p.m. to further discuss test parts they may need to understand better.  

A limited number of study guides for each class of license will be available for purchase at approximately $25 each. No fee will be charged to attend the study sessions. Those attending are asked to park in the rear parking area and enter through the balcony stairway door. The facilities are handicapped accessible through the church front; however advance notice should be given to (937) 760-6070.

During this 2 p.m. presentation, local amateurs will explain what amateur radio is about and why the federal and state governments support it as a back-up to their own communications. The presenters will also discuss the “fun” aspect of being able to experiment with all things electronic, talk with people around the world using voice, digital, television and even the 150 year old Morse Code. Some locals can even contact the International Space Station as it passes overhead.  There will be a question and answer session as a part of the presentation as well as radio demonstrations and displays of equipment.

The Highland Amateur Radio Association is a group of approximately 100 federally licensed amateur radio operators residing in Highland and neighboring counties. In advance of the program more information about amateur radio can be obtained at the American Radio Relay League’s website, www.arrl.org. Locally, you may visit HARA’s Facebook page, send an email to highlandara@gmail.com or by contacting HARA information officer John Levo at (937) 393-4951.