In 1894, amateur radio operator Guglielmo Marconi created the first successful wireless radio contact with a homemade antenna and station. Today, there are 750,000 licensed operators–also known as “hams”–in the U.S. and over 3 million operators worldwide.
Gary Rogers is one of them.
Gary is the president of the Amateur Radio Club at Charlestown, an Erickson Senior Living community in Catonsville, Md. The club of nearly a dozen amateur radio enthusiasts use the on-campus radio “shack,” located on the first floor of Charlestown’s Edgewood residence building, to connect with other radio operators around the world.
Hams in training
“I got licensed in 2014 and have been active since,” says Gary. “After I moved to Charlestown in 2022, I learned there was a former club that had been dormant for over a decade. So, I asked around to see if there were any residents who had their license and were interested in reestablishing a new club.”
With help from Charlestown’s administration, the ham radio shack was up and running again in 2023 and began operating under the original club’s call sign: KB3CAN. The club meets once a month at the shack to discuss topics related to ham radio and offer training.
“You don’t have to be licensed to be a club member, but you do have to be licensed to operate. If residents are interested in getting their license, we can connect them with the required materials and classes,” says Gary.
In the U.S., specific frequency and power privileges are reserved for civilian use and are set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Hams use three communication modes: voice, Morse code, and digital.
“We can have one high frequency radio on the air and one radio that is on UHF/VHF. Like all electronics, everything is computer based. We use a computer touch screen to change frequencies or change modes,” he explains.
Going cross-country
So, what does ham have to do with amateur radio? The term dates back to the 1890s, when professional teleoperators using Morse code referred to new amateur radio operators as ham-handed or unskilled, resulting in the nickname “ham.”
Ironically, ham radio has remained popular because of its simplicity. With just a battery, a radio, an antenna, and a little mileage, ham radio operators like Gary can communicate around the world.
“One of the reasons people enjoy ham radio is the challenge of having communication with a country that you had not contacted before,” says Gary. “The farthest I have reached someone is western Australia, about 11,000 miles from here.”
Loud and clear
Unlike other forms of communication, amateur radio is not reliant on the power grid or other infrastructures. This alone makes it more reliable in times of crisis and as a public service to support large events like marathons and parades.
“A lot of hams are involved in public service,” says Gary. “They assist or volunteer during local emergencies. You will typically find ham radio equipment in local emergency operation centers for disasters when the telephones go out and the internet goes down.”
But for hams at Charlestown, being an operator mostly means having fun. The club primarily uses ham radio for hobby and contesting (making as many contacts as possible within a specific time).
In June 2024, club members tested their skills by participating in the American Radio Relay League’s Field Day. This event invites more than 40,000 amateur radio operators throughout North America to demonstrate their skills and service. Charlestown operators made contact with clubs in Wisconsin, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Iowa, and Florida.
Calling all hams
Throughout his career in wired communications, David Elder regularly interacted with hams, piquing his interest in amateur radio.
“I was involved in many projects requiring the interconnection of police and fire radio systems to the public address systems I was installing,” says David. “Many of the operators were also hams. I joined the Charlestown Amateur Radio Club because I support their communications mission, and I’m hoping to be able to obtain my license.”
Barbara Nixon, a retired teacher, got her ham radio license after her late husband became an avid ham radio operator.
“We operated from our house in Annapolis, Md. My husband really liked to do contests. He would listen to the radio and contact people in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Russia,” says Barbara.
Soon after she moved to Charlestown in 2022, Barbara was introduced to Gary through a mutual acquaintance.
“Gary really put a lot of his heart and soul into getting this club going. Amateur radio has been around a long time, but now, with the aid of computers, we are hoping we will draw in a new generation of hams,” says Barbara.
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