[CTSARA] Amateur Radio class in October at GNARC (tech class)

[Paul Lourd]

*Amateur Radio License Class Beginning in October 2017*





If you have ever been curious about getting an amateur (“ham”) radio
license, now is the time!  A free class will be given at the Greater
Norwalk Amateur Radio Club’s communications center starting October 18th,
2017.



With ham radios, you can communicate from the top of a mountain, your home,
or your car, all without relying on the Internet or a cell phone network.
You can take a radio wherever you go. You will also learn some basic
electronic skills that are helpful in daily life.



Having a ham radio license means that you have access to radio equipment
that can be used for many purposes.  While many hams use the radios purely
as a hobby, others also use them for serving the community. Local clubs
provide wide area communication for large events, like bike rides and
running races. We also use our radios to supplement communications during
CERT deployments.



The classes will begin on Wednesday October 18th and will take place weekly
on Wednesday nights through November 29 (no class Thanksgiving Eve Nov
22).  The classes will be from 6:30 to 9:30 at the Greater Norwalk Amateur
Radio Club’s communications center at 100 Fairfield Avenue in Norwalk
(right off Exit 14 of I-95).  There is no charge for the class, although we
will ask you to buy the Amateur Radio Relay League’s training manual for
$25.  In addition, it is suggested that you purchase an entry level radio
so you can begin to listen to things right away. They cost about $30 on
Amazon. We will have the manuals for sale at the class.



We will conduct the exam session for the license on Sat December 2 and
again on Wednesday December 6.



Once you have your license, you can use the entry level radios to be able
to talk all over the local area and the region using ham radio
infrastructure that is already in place. There are active clubs all over
Connecticut that will welcome you, no matter what your interests are.



The class will be taught by Jon Perelstein (AI1V) and Paul Lourd (WB2JVB).
Jon is president of the Stamford Amateur Radio Club and Paul is VP of
GNARC. Both are active CERT members in their towns.



Please RSVP to Paul Lourd (paul at lourd.com) as soon as possible so we can
have enough manuals on hand!