HAM training results in 7 new operators
7 new HAM operators earned licenses at the end of February. Amateur radio is essential for emergency management, especially in rural areas.
A HAM radio class was scheduled for February 24 & 25 by the local radio club, CARS (Caribou Amateur Radio Service Club). The class lasted about 7 hours in total, and was conducted by local club members Eric Hobson, Paul Gritton and club president Derrek Hueckstaed.
The amateur radio Technician class examination consists of a 35 question test, which one must pass to get their beginner class license. Two other classes of licenses follow the Technician, the General and Amateur Extra. Additional radio frequency privileges come with each level of licensure. Costs to test are $15.00 with another $35.00 expense to get your license from the FCC after passing your test. A class and testing are done locally every one to two years. Anyone interested in being licensed can find online classes and with a little searching, and a test session can usually be found somewhere in the surrounding area. Three VE’s or volunteer examiners have to be present at a testing session. For the class just held in Soda Springs, Kevin and Jocelynn Nield from Bennington graciously came to Soda Springs to conduct the test along with local club member Judy Hatch from Chesterfield.
This class resulted in seven new HAM radio licensed operators who passed their test to shared congratulations. A project of the local amateur radio club is the 208 project. This project aims to prepare and educate the community to use the GMRS channel 20, tone 8 for communication purposes in the county in the event of a catastrophic failure of the regular power or communications grid. GMRS radios are those radios that many already have in their homes and are easily obtained at many local businesses.
The Amateur radio network is a community’s lifeline in the case of a widespread failure of the conventional phone/computer network during an emergency.
Everyone is welcome to attend local CARS club meetings which are held in the Soda Springs library on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM. Anyone with questions about Amateur Radio or the 208 Project can contact Paul Gritton at 208-220-5254.
