On June 10, at the Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Headquarters on North Maple Street, the Union County Amateur Radio Club hosted a tailgate Trunkfest for people selling radio equipment. This is one of the many gatherings of amateur radio operators where people can learn about assisting the EMA during times of disaster or inclement weather.
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The Union County Amateur Radio Club (UCARC) helps residents tune in to learning about amateur radio and educate them about communication in disaster situations.
Amateur radio is also known as ham radio, and it involves using radio technology to communicate with other radio users, or hams. This is often done with a repeater, which helps boost signals. Club adviser Paul Fowler said the club disbanded around the mid 1990s, but the club came back in 2016 because of increased involvement with the Union County’s Emergency Management Agency (EMA).
“Hams typically do public service and provide communications for different events in case of an emergency,” he said.
Fowler said one of the responsibilities a ham can undertake is gathering information from other radio stations and other sources to inform people what the weather is like in other areas in the event of a rising storm or tornado.
The UCARC hosted two events, also known as hamfests, in June to get people involved with ham radio.
A tailgate Trunkfest was held on June 10. That event involved operators selling radio equipment out of their trunks at the EMA headquarters. People interested in hamming were also able to learn a bit about the hobby.
At the field day, held on June 24 to 25, participants gathered at a location off Waldo Road to learn about using ham radios to communicate with other stations across the world. Fowler said this was a way to test the emergency contact system and to familiarize people to it.
He said the club was originally started in the 1970s and stayed in place for about 20 years before dissolving due to lack of interest. He also said many of the original members had either moved away or died.
Organizers of the new club try to attract people through community outreach events, such as Trunkfest or other hamfests, and with a monthly breakfast.
Ed Liddle, a member of the new club and its secretary, became interested in the club through word of mouth. He plans to be involved in future hamfests events and volunteer with the EMA.
Through the club, Liddle said he hopes to show new people how to become future hams. He and other members of the UCARC help potential operators study for their ham license tests, as well as direct them to where they can take their exams.
“The Union County Amateur Radio Club gets along with other areas,” he said. “We have good relationships with other radio clubs.”
For the future, Liddle said he hopes the club can plan more hamfests and maintain the equipment operated by the club and EMA. He also said he hopes the club can one day host ham license testing, while continuing to teach newcomers the ways of ham.
Area residents involved in ham can tune into the EMA’s repeater with the frequency channel 145.350 – megahertz with a tone of 127.3 hertz.