K4CPO – Nashville Amateur Radio Club

Inside Look of Ham Radio as a Hobby

by George Zulu on May 02, 2010

Read by: MARTHA KJ4RIQ

1. Ham Radio as a Hobby

The Hobby Ham radio is often referred to as amateur radio and is a hobby that is enjoyed by millions of individuals across the globe. A ham radio operator uses a two-way radio to broadcast with other amateurs for the purpose of entertainment, public service or other venture. Click here for more in on ham radio accessories

Community Service The use of ham radio may actually help to save lives as operators often support the local community with emergency and disaster communications. On a recreational basis, ham radio can help to increase an individual’s self awareness of electronics, the operations of radio and communication. In addition, ham radio is often used to showcase entertainment for listeners and may even help to launch a new career for an amateur. The World Wide Web Ham radio was once confined to an actual radio, but the progression of the world wide web has changed the way that people both listen and communicate via radio. In fact, there are a number of radio stations that actively communicate with listeners online. This activity paved the way for ham radio to reach a broad audience via the internet.

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Radio Amateurs Provide Communication Support in Boston Marathon Bombings — UPDATED

Read by: JERRY KE4ETY

As has happened many times in years past, over 200 Amateur Radio operators participated in communications for the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15, 2013. Unlike prior challenging situations such as very warm weather for the runners or other weather-related challenges, this year’s marathon will be remembered for the bombings that took place at the finish line. Despite this heinous act, professional first responders, medical volunteers from the American Red Cross that staffed the route, and Amateur Radio operators performed magnificently in the face of adversity.

“Within minutes, cell phone systems became overloaded and making phone calls and text messages was difficult. Amateur Radio operators performed communication duties under duress and performed admirably. No Amateur Radio volunteers were injured on the course in this terrible act,” said Steve Schwarm, W3EVE, who is the Amateur Radio Course Communication Coordinator and associated with a consortium of clubs and groups known as Marathon Amateur Radio Communications (MARC).

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OpEd by Olav Phillips

Intellihub.com

April 8, 2013

Read by: ED KE4JWS

MID-WEST, UNITED STATES — Within hours of South Korean news sources breaking a story that several Sang-Ho class submarines had disappeared from their North Korean bases, a ham radio operator named Tim, picked up a “numbers station” broadcasting on the same frequency as “The Voice of Korea” propaganda station. What makes this even more interesting is that at the tail end of the numbers transmission there was a long duration digital transmission as well.So why is this important and alarming?

There are several reasons why this new development is particularly alarming. The first being the existence of the numbers station coming on line shortly after the submarines put to sea, but more importantly is the digital transmission apparently tacked onto the end of the transmission and the ramifications of that transmission.

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