Radio
operators
set up
network

RUMOR: HAS’ ite that the
“ham’’.in ham operator was
coined during the early days
of :.the..radio phenomenon
when” many: of the operators
-were, of, English. extraction:
-” The word “amateur’” ‘turned |
‘“‘hamateur’’ in’. British
‘mouths .. and) was: subse-

quently, for. brevity’s” sake,”

shortened to ham.

By MICHAEL BECKER
+. News Reporter :

Ham may also have’ something .
to'do with'a gift for gab, but for,
24 hours'on‘the weekend it meant
4 the activation of a continent-wide

“network : of .radio. signal senders -

” and receivers
Locally;
Amateur Radio Club (NSARC) Set,
.Up_a temporary, radio station in’a
Cypress Bow! Road rock quarry to.
take part:in.an’ annual emergen-
“Cy -preparedness- ; exercise. vcalled

Whenever a’ disaster. stich. as.
“flood, vearthquake «. or:
“strikes an area,’ ham radio ’‘is often’:

the only means: available to: com- *.
“‘municate: with the: outside world.

‘ operators assisted the Red Cross as
a, major communications’ link? to

the } North» Shore”

tornado

. exercis

the stricken area,
. “According to NSARC president

‘Bill Tracey, the local club. would .
play a‘ similar role in. the event. of
devastation .on,.the North -Shore. :

“The main:role we would play in
an emergency is 0 provide contact
‘between ‘emergency. | evacuation
centres and the Red.Cross to assist
in getting ‘families back’ together.:
Ham, radio -stations= would {also
provide =: city-to-city © contact’ i be.»
tween Red Cross centres." ">

OG ‘The (weekend - mock-emergency .”
“saw thousands. ‘of: ham |
“radio “Operators - setting, up self

contained ; radio ’ ‘stations , , ACTOSS
North Americas Points were.
awarded during the 24-hour com-
petition. for contacts. made with
other. stations’ as’ well’ as a bonus
_ points. for. multi- -operalor stations
“and different types of self-contain-
ed power sources. .

.While the. North Shore. ‘group
drew power from a 2.5-kilowatt 7
gasoline generator, an enterprising ;

Vancouver group « organically

charged batteries courtesy of thes

electric ‘eels at the Vanicouver
Public Aquarium.) Pate

“Approximately. 20: “operators

‘tion

29 - Wednesday, June 29,

Travel
into.
history

PAGE 40

were on hand to'man the’ moun-,

tainside West. Vancouver: station in

“rotating four-hour: shifts of two or

“three people: | ~ eo
«Tracey, said the temporary. sta-,°

logged 416) contacts on-a..

single radio transmitter-receiver set

“up between 11 a.m. Saturday and
Operating.

Il a.m: . Sunday,

primarily: on” the 15; 20’ and “40-

“metre bands in Morse:code:and by:
radio telephone, contact:was made”
“with operators "as: far. away, as-

Hawaii,.and the eastern’ seaboard

‘States. 8 ;
; ‘Said Tracey: “We think we did:

1988 ~ North Shore News -

pretty well.’!’ The recorded ‘results =

will be: passed on to the American
Radio Relay League’ for final tally

. to determine; a winner. ae

~ The North Shore -club;; formed .
last fall, ‘currently lists “approx-.

‘imately, 60° members." But ‘Tracey:
‘estimates as many” as 300 licensed
ham operators are active ically...

The NSARC is “presently | sear.
ching ‘for a place to hold, the club!
meetings and.a room" "to" ‘set up a
radio and store equipment... *.

For more information call. 929-

. 1338 or 922-8746.