Ham is delicious, but it is not terribly helpful for emergency communications. I'm talking about Ham Radio, officially known as "amateur radio." Amateur radio is the licensed and private use of designated radio bands, for purposes of communications. Ham radio is not only a terrific hobby, but also incredibly useful in emergencies when all other sources of communication are down. Following a large-scale earthquake, don't count on your home phone, cell phone or Internet to be operating smoothly.
When all of these fail, ham radio is there to save the day. To learn more about the specifics of ham radio, click here. Many of our local ham radio operators are part of a Ham Radio Emergency Service group that provides emergency communication services to Cowlitz County. Our local ham radio volunteers are absolutely integral to our success in emergency response and recovery! To find out more about our local radio club, check out their website here.
There are a few steps to take to become a ham radio operator. Fortunately, memorizing Morse code is no longer one of them! In the US, there are 3 license levels, or "license classes." These licenses are granted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). To learn more about the levels, check out this website here which also has links to study materials. If you are interested in finding out more about HAM radio or would like to sign up for future training classes, please contact our office at 577-3130 or send us an email at DEM@co.cowlitz.wa.us.
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