Like to talk? New radio club invites others to join the fun!

Wanda English Burnett, Editor

What is Ripley County Amateur Radio Club(RCARC)? That question was easily answered by Delbert Felix, Osgood, “It’s amateur radio at its best!” But, what is amateur radio? That is a little more complicated, but simplistic at the same time, according to John Reid, near Friendship, who is the president of the newly formed club. Amateur radio is a way to promote fellowship, according to Reid.

Both men agreed with the new technology of cellular phones and Internet, people are instantly connected. However, communicating via ham radios is much different and opens up a whole new world. “We want to promote ham radio use among the younger generation,” Felix noted. His daughter, Katelyn is just 14, and has recently gotten her license at the technician level. The hobby also promotes comraderie among those who participate. “Getting to meet someone in person after talking with them on the radio is a great experience,” noted Reid.

“I’ve talked with people in different states and even different countries,” noted Felix, who has been involved in the hobby for about three years. He’s communicated for pleasure and also has helped those in need. When Hurricane Katrina swept the eastern seaboard, Felix was able to help hurricane victims connect with family members. “That’s a good feeling,” he told The Versailles Republican.

The newly formed group is 20 members strong with that membership coming from five different counties. “Our club offers open and free use to any properly licensed amateur operator,” noted Reid. He, too has seen the advantages of operating a ham radio for more than just a hobby. He remembered a time when a telephone company was completely destroyed by fire in the city of Richmond where he lived as a teenager. Ham radio operators literally kept the communication lines open for the city during about a six-month period, according to Reid. He also noted that at one time he commuted for an hour to and from his work. During that time he talked on the radio a lot. “It helps pass the time and you meet some really great people,” he noted.

RCARC runs on 441.775 frequency with a UHF repeater that is positioned on the WSCH tower on Fink’s Road. “We are up 180 feet,” noted Reid, who said the higher your repeater, the better the signal. Both Reid and Felix were grateful to Marty Pieratt, who was the owner of WSCH at the time they were allowed to put their repeater on the tower. Any help the club gets is appreciated due to the fact they are a small club that only charges $12.00 a year for dues.

Anyone can be a ham radio operator. You do have to take a test, but not Morse Code anymore, according to Felix. There are three levels of operators: technician, general and amateur extra, with the latter being the highest level giving you the privilege of talking to people all over the world. Tests are taken at each level, but Felix says the club has its own Volunteer Examiner (VE) team. They give the test, grade it and then turn it in to the Federal Communication Commission (FCC). “They will help prepare you to take these tests,” he noted. The VE team includes: Brent Turner (KI9G), Delbert Felix (KC9HRO), Bill Kemp (N3KKF), Louie Huron (NX9E), and James Meyer (KB9UVF).

On Sunday nights you can tune in to the 441.775 frequency at 7:00 p.m. for a weekly net program. You can also log onto www.441775.com for more information about the club. Reid says eventually minutes of the meetings will be posted at the website as well as the opportunity to buy, sell or trade equipment. Meetings are held the third Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the American Red Cross building on the square in Versailles. Anyone is welcome to attend these meetings and become a part of the club. You don’t have to be from Ripley County to be a member.

The club has a Field Day set for June 28 and 29 at the Milan Community Park E Shelter. They noted that members will set up with battery and generator power and operate completely without electricity, just as if they were experiencing a disaster of some sort. Anyone can come to the event and talk with other ham radio operators around the world.
They are also excited about organizing a “ham” fest this summer. This is a flea market type of event where operators can get together, compare equipment, perhaps purchase needed equipment, and just talk in person.

The club will have a display at the Osgood Public Library in the near future of various old radio equipment and items related to the amateur radio hobby. “Things have certainly changed over the years,” laughed Reid, who said today the radio is small where it use to be more complicated.

Both Reid and Felix are excited about the club that has “come a long way since last June when we started talking about it,” noted Felix. “We want to promote friendship and comraderie among radio operators,” noted Reid.

Now talking to people in places such as Italy and Argentina, Felix says, “I wish I had done this years ago.” He encourages others to become involved in a hobby that has brought him hours of enjoyment. “For someone like me who is disabled, it’s a great way to communicate,” he concluded.

The ham operator’s motto is: It is not the class of the license the amateur holds, but the class of the amateur that holds the license. The motto reflects the fun the group has when they get together, according to both Felix and Reid.

WANDA ENGLISH BURNETT PHOTO Delbert Felix enjoys talking with people around the world from his office in his Osgood home. He has been instrumental in helping begin two other radio clubs and is the vice president of the newly formed Ripley County Amateur Radio Club.