We have a very active amateur radio club in the Branson area - the Tri-Lakes Amateur Radio Club. Did you know that the Tri-Lakes Amateur Radio Club has served the Branson area for 75 years by providing emergency communications and that there are over 100 amateur radio licensees in Branson?
Amateur radio is a very old hobby that has brought countless opportunities through the years for citizens to help other citizens who might be in an emergency situation. Many times, ham radio has been the only communication available during emergencies both locally and disasters at the national level! This is a hobby that stood the test of time because its entire reason for being is as a service to our fellow man. Ham radio operators are like many other fraternal organizations and become like family in their common goal of serving one another!
In each of the recent storms that reached a WARNING level, the Club initiated a Weather Net, managed by a Net Control member, and a contact point where various spotters and any licensed amateur radio individual could report conditions and damage from their location. This information was then passed along to National Weather Service for documenting. We've burned the midnight oil on some of the storms earlier this year to be a service to our community.
An example of how ham radio is being used greatly very recently was in the recent hurricanes. There was little to no phone or electrical service in many sections of western North Carolina after Hurricane Helena, but ham radio operators scattered throughout North Carolina did a stellar job! With linked repeaters and Simplex capabilities, communication in a time of disaster was ongoing. Looking back to 9/11, when the towers came down with all the cell phone towers installed on top, ham radio was the only form of communication for some time. Anyone who is in ham radio can be used to their highest service during these times of crisis! This is what we train for and this is our civic duty and responsibility. Being of service to our fellow man is our highest calling.
The Branson Club has about 90 members and is still growing, with new members being added regularly. Many of our operators are older citizens but still active, but in order to keep the hobby alive and interesting, we are always seeking new members and hoping to appeal to the younger generation as well. The club recently offered Ham Radio Boot Camp #101 which was a huge success. The goal of this boot camp was to prepare the participants to pass the FCC Technician Class Amateur Radio License exam, which is the first level of licensing. We are excited to report that during the two-session boot camp, we have now added 15 new hams to our club roster! It is a radio operator’s delight to hear new hams out on the frequencies and boldly entering into conversations and checking into nets and becoming familiar with their new radios and radio etiquette and using their license privilege. Our youngest new ham is 12 years old, but a range of ages participated in this boot camp.
The club also recently held a very successful General Boot Camp, the next level of testing with several other licensing privileges that come with the upgrade. We held class for a total of 20 participants and tested 22 folks (21 for General upgrade and one for an initial technician license), and we had a total of 18 General upgrades and one new Technician. Richard Claar, ADØUD, led the study session in the same manner as he did the Technician Boot Camp. Thank you to all of the club’s VEs, Elmers, and volunteers who have dedicated their time to help make others successful.
For those wondering about our next Technician License Boot Camp, the next licensing session is November 2 and is filling fast. We are also planning to offer two Technician Boot Camps and two General Boot Camps in 2025.
There is never a better time than this to become a ham radio operator. Ham radio is a very civic-minded hobby with real value in emergency situations especially. You, too, can become a ham radio operator and gain a hobby that will allow you to be of service to your community. The hobby is alive and well and growing.
If you are interested in further information about becoming a ham radio operator, please send an email to tlarcbranson@gmail.com
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