Opening Communications: Young County Amateur Radio Club recruiting
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(FILE PHOTO | THE GRAHAM LEADER) A member of the Young County Amateur Radio Club speaks on a high frequency radio during the American Radio Relay League Field Day in 2020 on the Graham downtown square. The club is looking to recruit those with an interest in amateur radio and offers testing for those looking to be certified. -
(FILE PHOTO | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Young County Amateur Radio Club President Dan Hooper adjusts a high frequency radio during the American Radio Relay League Field Day in 2020 on the Graham downtown square. The ARRL Field Day is hosted the fourth weekend of June each year and this year was hosted Saturday, June 25.
Radio operators can serve as the last line of communication in the event of an emergency and play an important role in emergency situations. The Young County Amateur Radio Club, which meets monthly, is looking to recruit new members that have an interest in communications.
The club meets at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at the Young County Law Enforcement Center training room. The club invites all of those interested in amateur radio and provides testing for certification.
“Most people start out as what we call shortwave listeners. They’ve either got a scanner or they’ve got a broadband receiver and they’re listening to either broadcast stations abroad, or local hams talking, or they’re just listening to stuff on the scanner and they get interested in it that way. Then they will come to a local club to get into how to actually make that step from shortwave listener to ham radio operator,” club vice president Stephen Osborn said.
The Federal Communications Commission issues six license classes which authorize levels of privileges. According to the FCC, each class determines the degree of skill and knowledge of operation. Each licensee is certified by volunteer examiners in their community for one of three classes which are Technician, General and Amateur Extra.
For the full story, see the Wednesday, Nov. 30 edition of The Graham Leader.
