Recruiting for the new wave
Yellowknife Amateur Radio Society vice-president encouraging new members to sign up
Cody Punter
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, October 15, 2014
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
When amateur radio operator Ron Thompson looks up at the moon, he doesn't just see another heavenly body - he sees an opportunity.
Ron Thompson, vice-president of the Yellownkife Amateur Radio Society, tries to tune into a high frequency transmission from his home-based command centre on Oct. 9. The society will be holding a meeting to recruit new members at St. Patrick High School at 7 p.m. tonight. - Cody Punter/NNSL photo |
Although he will never visit Earth's largest satellite, he is determined to one day use its surface to bounce radio signals back down to another transmitter on the other side of the world using nothing but a high frequency radio, a large dish salvaged from the old CBC station in Kam Lake, and a little technical know-how.
Thompson will be the first to admit that his goal is "not practical, just doable," and it will likely be at least a few years before he is able to fine-tune the equipment necessary to achieve it. But his drive to push the limits of technology that is more than 100 years old perfectly embodies the creative and experimental spirit of the Yellowknife Amateur Radio Society (YKARS).
"There's not much we can't do," said Thompson, who is the society's vice-president.
Thompson is currently trying to recruit new members for YKARS, which operates a station out of a classroom in St. Patrick High School. The tightly-knit group currently has approximately 12 members, some of whom can be identified around town by their personalized licence plates emblazoned with their call numbers - a code name used to identify individual radio operators.
"We're a pretty keen group," said Thompson. "We're small but keen."
Although the group of operators in Yellowknife isn't exactly large, their hobby allows them to connect with amateur radio operators around the world. According to the society's website, the list of famous ham radio operators includes Marlon Brando, King Juan Carlos I of Spain, Canadian astronaut Chris Hatfield and 1980s television extraterrestrial ALF. The International Space Station even has a ham radio on board, which crew members use to broadcast to amateur radio enthusiasts on earth.
"The hobby is so broad that it captivates people for a wide variety of reasons," Thompson said.
When Yellowknifer visited Thompson's personal command centre - which comprises a sophisticated handmade high-frequency transceiver, equipped with both a microphone and two Morse code controllers - he was able to tap into broadcasts from Mexico and Alaska. With the right conditions, Thompson said he can pick up signals from as far away as Japan, Germany, and even Antarctica. Unlike surfing the web by mindlessly clicking on a mouse, sending and receiving transmissions that far away requires a certain amount of technical prowess.
"This is something that you do because you're interested in the technical side of it," said Thompson. "If the communications side of it interests you, or if the technical side of it interests you, this is the hobby for you," he said.
In order to legally become a ham radio operator, you must first get an Amateur Radio Operator's Licence, which requires passing a written exam that covers basic electrical and radio theory as well as the regulations governing their operation. This fall, the society is planning to offer a series of evening courses that will teach newcomers everything they need to know in order to pass it.
While those who have grown up with the Internet and cell phones may look at ham radios as an obsolete form of communication, Thompson points out that they have far more practical use than you might think. Unlike newer technology, high-frequency radios do not depend on cell phone towers or fiber optic cables to transmit their signals - all that's needed are airwaves. As a result, amateur radio often becomes the default form of communication during major crises, especially when crucial infrastructure has been damaged.
"During major disasters, (Hurricane) Katrina in particular, (amateur radio operators) received a lot of recognition," said Thompson. "At every level of government (they) were a very valuable component of the first wave of volunteers and first responders."
The versatility of high frequency radios in emergency situations is one of the reasons why YKARS is included as an essential component of the communications strategy for the GNWT's emergency plan. With the document currently under review, Thompson said he would like to see that role refined and expanded.
"We would like to get involved in training with them to provide a better service," said Thompson.
He's also interested in reaching out to high schools to see if they would be interested in setting up high frequency radios for educational purposes.
"When I was in high school, we had a club station," he said. "It hasn't been as popular in recent years since the Internet, but we would like to see a bit of a revival of that."
The society will be holding a recruitment session tonight at 7 p.m. at St. Pat's. The meeting is open to anyone, although Thompson is especially hoping to attract a younger crowd.
