Area amateur radio clubs assist ODNR
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Members of area amateur radio clubs recently assisted the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks promotion of the Ohio State Park System through the recent fourth annual Ohio State Parks On The Air amateur radio operating event.
The Ohio DNR encouraged ham radio operators and amateur radio clubs to set up stations in each of the 75 state parks on a recent Saturday afternoon. The objective of the event was for stations operating from a state park to make as many on-the-air contacts with as many other amateurs and as many other state park operations as possible. Besides
exposing the public to the magnitude of the state park system and ham radio, these temporary communication stations, operating under emergency conditions, provided practical training to amateurs about how to quickly get an amateur radio station on the air from a temporary location should the need arise. In most cases, the hams were able to have antennas erected, equipment connected and signals on the air within 20 minutes after arriving at their operating location.
During the operating event, the local hams made hundreds of contacts with fixed, mobile and other portable stations throughout North America and Europe. It was noted a similar event was occurring with Indiana State Parks at the same time, and it was not unusual for an operator at an Ohio State Park to exchange greetings with an Indiana State Park station.
Area state parks where stations were established were Rocky Fork, Paint Creek, Pike Lake, Lake Cowan Deer Creek and Shawnee. Highland Amateur Radio Association members Vern Burroughs, Paul Levo and Roger Gladdish operated from Rocky Fork; Will Baker and Curtis Green from Pike Lake; and John Levo from Paint Creek. Al Norris and Rodney Crawford, from the Grant ARA, operated from Shawnee; and Kevin Boyle, Don Gephart, Mark Atwell and Charlie Vance of the Blanchester Radio Club, from Lake Cowan. Hams from Fayette County operated from Deer Creek.
Information about amateur radio may be obtained by contacting the American Radio Relay League, www.arrl.org or the Highland Amateur Radio Association, 393-4951.[[In-content Ad]]
The Ohio DNR encouraged ham radio operators and amateur radio clubs to set up stations in each of the 75 state parks on a recent Saturday afternoon. The objective of the event was for stations operating from a state park to make as many on-the-air contacts with as many other amateurs and as many other state park operations as possible. Besides
exposing the public to the magnitude of the state park system and ham radio, these temporary communication stations, operating under emergency conditions, provided practical training to amateurs about how to quickly get an amateur radio station on the air from a temporary location should the need arise. In most cases, the hams were able to have antennas erected, equipment connected and signals on the air within 20 minutes after arriving at their operating location.
During the operating event, the local hams made hundreds of contacts with fixed, mobile and other portable stations throughout North America and Europe. It was noted a similar event was occurring with Indiana State Parks at the same time, and it was not unusual for an operator at an Ohio State Park to exchange greetings with an Indiana State Park station.
Area state parks where stations were established were Rocky Fork, Paint Creek, Pike Lake, Lake Cowan Deer Creek and Shawnee. Highland Amateur Radio Association members Vern Burroughs, Paul Levo and Roger Gladdish operated from Rocky Fork; Will Baker and Curtis Green from Pike Lake; and John Levo from Paint Creek. Al Norris and Rodney Crawford, from the Grant ARA, operated from Shawnee; and Kevin Boyle, Don Gephart, Mark Atwell and Charlie Vance of the Blanchester Radio Club, from Lake Cowan. Hams from Fayette County operated from Deer Creek.
Information about amateur radio may be obtained by contacting the American Radio Relay League, www.arrl.org or the Highland Amateur Radio Association, 393-4951.[[In-content Ad]]