eHam.net News

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Old-Fashioned Ham Radio Proves its Reliability in Age of Texting:

Posted: 18 Jan 2016 04:39 PM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35999


Amateur radio first became popular at the beginning of the 20th century,
when teenage boys began experimenting with telegraph wires, and eventually
discovered how to pick up signals from steam ships. Over the past 100
years, the technology has been utilized by the military and emergency
services to send messages across the state and across the globe. Today,
amateur radio is still used during emergencies. One of the main features of
ham radio is its reliability, a factor that has kept it relevant even in
the age of Internet, texting and FaceTime. Dwight Holtzen, a licensed
operator for 35 years, said it's the reason he encourages his family to get
their own operator's licenses. "I've tried to convince my grandkids to get
their license and they say, 'Why grandpa?' and I say, 'Well, have you ever
had your cellphone not work?' and they say, 'Yeah,' and I say, 'Well, I've
never had my ham radio not work,' " Holtzen said. Reliability is a key
factor, especially when it comes to severe weather and emergencies. Many
members of the VFW amateur radio club contribute to SkyWarn, a network of
storm watchers who provide information to the National Weather Service.
SkyWarn relies on ham operators for trustworthy information in crucial
situations.