Thirty-three feet of brightly-lit showcase in New Mexico’s biggest airport, the Albuquerque Sunport, proudly proclaimed Amateur Radio’s service to New Mexico during the busy holiday travel season from late November 2008 to mid January 2009.
Over 370,000 travelers, friends, and family members viewed the Amateur Radio exhibit, according to Albuquerque Sunport management.
Proudly featuring the latest ARRL banner as the centerpiece of the exhibit, everyone viewing the exhibit saw Amateur Radio emergency communications, a continuously-running slide show of Amateur stations in operation, 50 years of progress in Amateur Radio transmitters and receivers, typical Amateur Radio antennas, and 3-D coverage maps of New Mexico’s extensive Amateur Radio repeater systems.
A map of the world along with QSL cards from many countries worked by wheelchair-bound silent key WA5IAL demonstrated how Amateur Radio truly is a “window on the world.”
The display was the work of the New Mexico Amateur Radio Alliance, comprised of representatives of many central New Mexico Amateur Radio clubs. The project, initiated by Bill Ripley, KY5Q, is an outgrowth of Rocky Mountain Division Director Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT’s desire to better communicate Amateur Radio’s service to all New Mexicans. New Mexico SM Don Wood, W5FHA, took a lead role in creating the display and communicating the benefits of the project to New Mexico Amateur Radio clubs.
As a result of this Amateur Radio display in New Mexico’s largest airport, the Albuquerque Sunport, Amateur Radio’s value and service to our community is much more appreciated and much better understood by many thousands of New Mexicans and by many travelers from afar.
Two “Please Take One” boxes holding information cards about Amateur Radio directing interested persons to the ARRL web site and to a local contact email address were repeatedly emptied by passers-by eager both to learn more about our service to our community and the rewards joining the ranks of Amateur Operators brings..
For more information about this Amateur Radio publicity event, and for assistance with your next Amateur Radio publicity outreach, contact the New Mexico Amateur Radio Alliance at [email protected].
From Mike Langner, K5MGR
Public Information Coordinator, New Mexico Section
John says
By chance do you know if the New Mexico Amateur Radio Alliance has a website?
John
Dan KB6NU says
Hi, John–
It doesn’t appear that the New Mexico Amateur Radio Alliance has a website. I bet it’s an ad-hoc group formed just to put up that airport display.