LOGANSPORT —
As part of an amateur radio contest and disaster preparedness, people camped out at the Cass County Emergency Management Agency on Saturday and Sunday.
Members of the Cass County Amateur Radio Club participated in the annual American Radio Relay League Field Day event.
Amateur radio operators set up their radios and antennas at the EMA building on Ind. 17 just north of Logansport and spent 24 hours trying to make contact with as many amateur radio stations throughout the United States and Canada as possible.
For some of them, that meant pulling an all-nighter.
“I’ll try staying up all night. I don’t know if I’ll make it,” said John Flint. “I have to work on Monday.”
Others were planning on sleeping for a few hours in their cars before returning to their posts early Sunday morning.
In less than an hour Saturday, Flint made contact with stations in North Carolina, Missouri and Alabama using his radio and computer. Flint earned two points for Cass County for every contact he made using the computer.
Phil Snyder, president of the Cass County amateur radio club, said people earn more points for communicating using computers or Morse code because they’re more difficult to master. Amateur radio enthusiasts earn the most points for communicating using satellites.
Snyder said they hadn’t been able to reach anyone by satellite Saturday afternoon. They tried around 2:30 p.m. using a satellite that passes by once every 90 minutes, but only one person can use it a time. Tom Denton said someone from Illinois won that battle.
“Whoever’s loudest wins,” Snyder said.
Snyder said Cass County’s group usually makes between 300 and 400 contacts in the 24-hour time period from Saturday afternoon to Sunday afternoon.
“It’s like fishing. You keep trying and trying until you get someone,” Snyder said of reaching other stations.
He said at the end of the contest, Cass County usually places in the top third in points for its classification. He said it’s really not about winning a contest, though.
“We’re more about having fun and learning things,” he said.
Most amateur radio operators, he said, consider it a hobby.
“But it’s also a service,” Snyder said. “The whole purpose is to be prepared to provide communications assistance in emergencies.”
According to a press release from the Cass County Amateur Radio Club, amateur radio operators provide emergency communication services when other forms of communication are down due to natural or manmade disasters or technical problems.
Snyder said they were really useful in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.
“During Katrina, the Red Cross called and said we need 700 ‘ham’ radio operators,” Snyder said.
He explained that amateur operators enabled emergency personnel to communicate with one another and coordinate disaster relief efforts. Snyder said someone in Indiana could have used a “ham” radio operator as well to contact another operator in New Orleans to check up on a family member or friend.
“A lot of things are possible with amateur radio,” Flint said.
• Lindsey Ziliak is a staff writer at the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at 574-732-5148 or lindsey.ziliak@pharostribune.com.
Local News
Related Photos
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CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW: Amateur radio operators, Marion Bell Jr., who is kneeling, and Tom Denton move their antennas around in an effort to communicate with other amateur radio stations via satellite Saturday afternoon. The exercise was part of the annual American Radio Relay League Field Day event. Lindsey Ziliak
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TUNING IN: Amateur radio enthusiast Lynn Jordan searches for another amateur radio station to make contact with during the American Radio Relay League Field Day event. Lindsey Ziliak
Discussion
Ham radio operators prepare for disaster
Cass County club participates in nationwide event.
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