Hams can be found anywhere.
NASA astronaut Doug Wheelock, Expedition 24 flight engineer, uses a ham radio system in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station.
Courtesy NASA
I went to the hamfest in Virginia Beach, VA today. No, it’s not a meeting about pork products – it’s an opportunity for amateur radio operators (hams) to get together and buy or sell equipment.
I like looking for “treasures” at garage sales and thrift shops, although for many, the statement “As is, no refunds” means “It’s broke and parts aren’t available.” Hamfests seem to be different. One reason is that ham radio equipment is meant to be experimented on, so repair information and parts tend to be available. Today, however, I was less inclined to buy a radio that needed repairing and more interested in tools and parts to finish up some of the projects I’ve been working on. I was successful.
After getting home, I set about on some of the to-do’s that needed attention, pausing to flip on my radio. In a matter of (literally) seconds I was engaged in a short conversation with a ham radio operator in Serbia.
I plan on adding a nap and then cooking out on the grill. That’s my kind of day.
Related articles
- Ghostbusters-like crew of amateur radio operators help in emergencies (denverpost.com)
- Ham radio goes to College (southgatearc.org)
- Ham Radio Operators Help with Local Flood Communications (ireport.cnn.com)
- ISS Astronaut Savors Random “Messages in a Bottle” via Ham Radio (arrl.org)
sfnowak 