BY KIRK STARRATT
Kings County Advertiser/Register
They’ve taken an empty shipping container and put it to an amazing use.
Members of the Kings County Amateur Radio Club (KCARC) have a new repeater facility in Glenmont inside the renovated container. With its 120-foot tower, the facility houses Cross Country TV’s wireless high-speed internet equipment, the Canning Fire Department’s pager and main radio systems and the County of Kings’ repeater for emergency communications.
The KCARC and the Greenwood Amateur Radio Club (GARC) handle communications for emergency measures organizations (EMO) from Windsor to Digby. There is a lot of membership crossover in both clubs, which GARC president and KCARC member Eric Smith of Kingston (VE1JW), says is good for continuity.
It cost the club about $12,000 to establish the new facility, with the KCARC membership undertaking fundraising initiatives and the remaining money coming from the County of Kings. The club had been saving grant money in a capital fund for its new structure. Club members completed all the necessary work on a volunteer basis.
KCARC treasurer Art Hamilton of Kentville (VE1ART) says their old building was too small for all the equipment, and their old generator building wasn’t adequate. In the newly renovated container, they have emergency back-up battery power.
“In the event of a power grid failure, the radios will keep running,” says KCARC member Fred Archibald of Canard (VE1FA).
Hamilton says, in the past, if the power went out, someone would have to go out to the repeater site and start the generator.
“We’re hoping to be able to run everything for 20 hours after a power failure,” he says. This gives them more time to reach the site to start the generators, and that only necessary during an extended power outage.
Hamilton says hams can provide communications when cellphone services are unavailable or other communication tools are down. Archibald says such technology works well, but can become overwhelmed. That’s when amateur radio back up can become essential.
Brian DeAthe of Wilmot, vice president of the GARC and KCARC member (VE1RCF), says there has been a move among EMO groups in recent years to involve amateur radio clubs to provide that backup.
Hamilton says EMO operations seemed to think, at one point, they didn’t need ham radio operators, but “we’re back into it stronger than ever.”
The club was involved in a recent EMO training exercise with Valley Health, a mock bus accident in Hants County. There was a half-hour where other means of communications were down and ham radio operators were called to action.
The EMO radio equipment at the County of Kings complex in Kentville, used when the Regional Emergency Measures Organization activates its nerve centre in council chambers, is being upgraded. The municipality owns its equipment, but KCARC members operate it. DeAthe says the local amateur radio clubs are getting top-notch equipment, used, and refurbishing it.
Archibald says they’re always looking for new people to get involved in amateur radio and, if there is enough interest, they could put on a training course. Hamilton points out you have to pass a test and get a license to be a ham radio operator.
The KCARC meets in the training room at the Kentville fire hall the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. The GARC meets in the community centre at 14 Wing Greenwood the first Thursday of each month.
Why ham radio?
Smith likes ham radio. He enjoys talking to people all over the world, and has been involved for 28 years.
“It’s almost limitless,” Smith says about the applications of amateur radio.
Operators used to be able to patch military service people overseas from the radio to the telephone so they could talk to loved ones at home. There are several linking systems that form provincial, national and worldwide networks.
DeAthe started playing around with ham radio in 1957. He now enjoys the element of public service and making contacts around the globe.
“I pursued a career in radio in the air force,” he says. “I got my ham license when I moved here.”
Hamilton’s next-door neighbour was a ham radio operator and was always after him to join. Eventually, his interest was captured, and he now enjoys the fellowship of other hams.
“They’re a great bunch of fellows.”
While some hams still use Morse code, others prefer today’s technology, such as the internet. Ham radio can include a wide range of interests: Hamilton says there are operators among the astronauts on the international space station, and local hams have been making contact.
Archibald, who enjoys restoring and repairing the old equipment, says many ham operators still like using shortwave. However, some of the sense of wonder has changed. The idea of crossing the ocean was miraculous in the 1920s, but, today, not so much.
“I still have a sense of wonder about being able to use a little box on my desk to talk to people around the world.”
kstarratt@kentvilleadvertiser.ca
