Who’d a thunk it? But, eastern Iowa is where Collins is located……Dan
2nd-largest per-capita group of amateur radio operators in the world call Eastern Iowa home
When a derecho packing winds of 80 to 100 miles per hour — and gusts topping 140 miles per hour — hit Eastern Iowa in August, about 400,000 Iowans were left without power and many had no cell service. That meant no television news, no cable updates, and for many that rely heavily on cellphones rather than landlines, limited phone access. The Cedar Valley Amateur Radio Club has a motto for those times: “When all else fails, radio.”
Local radio club braves cold to compete in international contest
On Saturday, people huddled around radio transmitters in Community Park in Effingham to participate in a worldwide competition put on by ham radio enthusiasts. The event is called Winter Field Day and was organized by the Winter Field Day Association. Running 24 hours, from 1 p.m. on Saturday to 1 p.m. Sunday, the event is centered around making connections with other people. Throughout the event, radio operators turned their dials to different frequencies, searching for other radio operators. If they find someone calling “CQ,” which is a radio-style invitation to talk, they briefly exchange information like their call sign and location and then get back to hunting for others.
Reaching out to community groups is always a good idea….Dan
President and VP of Lawrence County Amateur Radio Club speak at BRTC
Glendall Floyd and Ray Maynard, president and vice president of the Lawrence County Amateur Radio Club, were guest speakers for the Law Enforcement Training Academy at Black River Technical College on Jan. 11. Floyd and Maynard discussed the uses of amateur radio, also known as ham radio, and provided a list of “22 things you can do with amateur radio.” Among those listed, the speakers emphasized that ham radio can be used for public service.
Leave a Reply