Published: July 08, 2008 05:14 pm      

Riding the waves, finding the channel

By Leslie Gibson

Herald-Banner Staff



Amateur radio operators are “used all the time” when thunderstorms move through Rockwall County.

Yet, though the lightning from storms in the county Saturday night shut down their local participation for a few hours in the national annual American Amateur Radio Field Day Saturday, it was not a severe enough storm to call into play their storm-spotting network.

They keep an antenna mounted at the Rockwall County Sheriff’s office, and on short notice can immediately staff it with an operator and radio to apprise deputies of storms and tornados.

Last weekend though was about the ability to set up in the field, using stand-alone power, and make as many contacts as possible.

About 20 licensed operators of the Rockwall Amateur Radio Club and the Trinity Valley Amateur Radio Club from Kaufman, and about six people new to amateur radio, gathered inside and outside the former Royse City Middle School to ride the waves.

Amateur radio operaters explore the the frequencies and band widths at the various times of year and days which allow communications thousands of miles away. It is a hobby, and sometimes the only, or a main method of commucation during disasters, such as 9/11 or hurricanes.

The American Radio Relay League field day demonstrates amateur radio’s ability to communicate out in the field and serve in emergencies, said Kenneth Morrow, KE5SCA.

Field Day began in 1933. Operators throughout the nation must set up antennas and stand-alone power, to operate their radios for 24 hours making as many contacts as possible. Points are awarded for particular conditions, particular classes of operators, and other criteria, including involving rookies.

Girl Scouts and grandsons and other rookies were “Elmered,” or taught, during the weekend by licensed radio operators of the two clubs.

Rusty Hensley, KB5RP, of the Rockwall club, and his grandson Travis Wendt were at the Get On The Air (GOTA) station Saturday afternoon, a radio set up under a tent, operating on different frequencies from the two “formal” stations inside being manned by various club members throughout the 24-hour contest.

“This is a station to allow people who have never been on amateur radio to try it,” Hensley said. “We exchange signal strengths, where we are,” he said.

He brought a solar panel array to charge the batteries powering the GOTA station.

Bert Schmiesing, KC5HWX, said the Field Day is to “sharpen our skills.” He was appointed as the Rockwall County Amateur Radio Officer by then County Judge Bill Bell, after the death of Richard Taylor, who had held the position. The club was formed in 1994.

Only when asked do amateur radio operators participate in emergency scenes, Schmiesing stressed. Their job is communications only. When cell phones are jammed, phone lines are down, and power is shut off, a HAM radio operator using battery- and generator-powered portable radios can post with any emergency worker or station and provide clear communicating amongst all the points of disaster relief.

“The unique thing about HAM radio is that HAMs have their own equipment,” said Carl Sherman, W5SBH, of the Trinity Valley club. “They typically operate stations all over the world. They provide communications when all other systems are down. Everybody jumping on cell phones, cell phones won’t work. It is essential communication in times of emergency.”

Saturday, Sherman was operating another system, however. “I’m tracking vehicles, another facet of HAM Radio.”

His laptop computer screen showed a map of the Rockwall, and the location of his wife and daughter in their GPS equipped vehicle as they went to lunch and “high tea” he said. The car put out a signal every 30 seconds. His wife, Linda, KC5QKN also keeps track of Sherman as he navigates the county. “She can look on the map and tell where I am,” he said. The club is getting extra credit for the tracking on field day.

“I have had my HAM radio since age 17,” Sherman said. “I am the oldest and longest licensed operator, for 58 years. He worked welfare messages out of Waco during a tornado when he was a student at Texas A&M.

When Sherman received his license, the Morse Code test was still a part of it.

Ron Van Winkle, N5YDX, and John Walker, N1QXV, said Morse Code is still used, but losing popularity. “It is not cool,” said Van Winkle.

But, Saturday night, very rapid Morse Code was coming over a radio. Van Winkle and John Walker were listening and commenting on how quickly the Morse code transmitters were responding to one another.

“It takes a mind-hand coordination. Folks in the Navy had to use it a lot,” Walker said.

They noted that it is a “pure” way of transmitting. It is an international language. It takes less band width than voice, comes in more clearly than voice, and is transmittable at less power.

“You can take a little transmitter and string and a little antennae in a tin box and talk all over the world,” said Walker. “It is inexpensive.” Also, the wave can go through environment and geography which would block the waves used in voice transmitting, they said.

“It is almost binary, it is very precise,” said Van Winkle, whose job is in wireless data communications. “You can talk to obscure islands in the South Pacific,” he said, noting that many retired people have moved to those islands, and are very active in radio communications, particularly using Morse Code.

Translating software is available to hook up to the radio or laptop to decode incoming Morse Code.

Radio operating is expanding into new technologies, too. One is Winlink. “It is an E-mail system that works with our frequencies,” said Pease.

Another system is Echolink. ‘It is a method using HAM radio connected to the Internet and Internet to HAM radio. It goes through repeaters,” Pease said.

Operators assist in hurricane situations, including Katrina. They were used in 9/11. They are being used in the Iowa floods.

“We go when asked,” Schmiesing said. “You are invited in with an organization, so you can do what you have to do in a safe manner.”

Between emergencies and storms, radio operators enjoy the places radio communications has led them, both professionally and personally.

Walker grew up in Massachusetts and in 1978, his grandmother bought him a C.B. from a pawn shop. He still remembers “being an 11-year-old boy from the north and hearing all the ‘ya’lls’ done in the accent.” He picked them up by just sticking an antennae out the window. “I wondered how and why I could hear people in other states. I looked it up and started learning about the atmosphere, science and math. That’s why I got in to electronics,” he said. “I’m a natural geek.

Saturday, two Girl Scouts from Royse City, Dezyrae Nantz and Sarah Kazlow, thought it was fun to make contact with folks in North Dakota and South Dakota, and British Columbia.

Wendt, listening in and answering with the help of his granddad, heard someone from South America running a split frequency which means he was transmitting on one wave and receiving on the other. Wendt made the goal of 20 contacts in the weekend.

Paul Lynas, WA5LFY, set up the antennae for the Royse City Field Day. “I am fascinated by electrons and radio in general. My father helped me build a crystal set.” He learned Morse Code. He has been in HAM radio since 1959, when “tubes glowed in the dark,” and makes his living setting up antennas and broadcast systems worldwide.

He would like to see more young people develop their interest in science. “How do you attract new people to enter science and engineering?” His firm, Continental Electronics, is working with Robotics teams in schools. “I love doing this,” he said.