WINONA LAKE - Hoosier Lakes Radio Club, in cooperation with Grace College, and Kosciusko County Emergency Management, recently held an amateur radio class.
The club regularly holds licensing classes and up to now they have been the once-a-week lasting 8 to 10 weeks. For this class it was decided to try a shorter weekend format.For a month students read through the material and came to the weekend prepared to ask questions and explore the requirements of earning an amateur radio license.
While the focus was on having fun with the hobby the fundamental purpose of providing trained communicators during times of emergency was stressed.
Amateur radio operators, also called hams, are often called upon during disasters to provide emergency communications when normal communications are over taxed, unavailable or incapable of providing the necessary service.
The FCC recognizes and provides for this need thru Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service.
The rules also places RACES operations under the direction of civil defense or Emergency Management.
Hams regularly participate in drills and exercises emphasizing that effective communications requires training and practice.
This serves in educating people about disaster preparedness and adds one more valuable asset to aid in responding to events that may occur where they live, work or play.
Among the first to sign up for the class were students from recent Community Emergency Response Team classes taught at the college.
This training also included members of the Indiana Guard Reserve and a number of public service first responders.
Class members witnessed first hand the rapid response of amateur radio to the earthquake in South America and had there been a need area hams were ready to respond.
The students were quick to identify numerous areas where Amateur Radio would be a valuable asset in the response effort.
At the conclusion of the class the club conducted an amateur radio exam session. Of the 44 candidates, 39 earned the Technician class license and 1 upgraded to General class.
This was a significant increase in the ham ranks for the community.
Grace College, through a grant from the Department of Justice, provided class materials, snacks, a sack lunch and the exam fee.
The time requirement was reduced to a few hours of pre-study and the 10 hours of class time.
