[SFDXA] Ford Kanzler | When all else fails, ham radio works - Santa Cruz Sentinel

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  Ford Kanzler | When all else fails, ham radio works

Dan Selling N6RJX runs ham radios during a Scotts Valley Demonstration 
at Sky Park. (Bob Fike -- Contributed)
Dan Selling N6RJX runs ham radios during a Scotts Valley Demonstration 
at Sky Park. (Bob Fike — Contributed)

By Ford Kanzler <https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/author/ford-kanzler/> |
February 8, 2022 at 4:05 p.m.

When things go sideways, the all-volunteer Santa Cruz County ham radio 
communications team says, “No Phone, No Electricity, No Problem.”

The Santa Cruz Amateur Radio Emergency Service helps at a triathlon in 
Santa Cruz. (Bob Fike — Contributed)

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), long known as ham radio 
operators, is a national association for hams. The 75 members of the 
Santa Cruz chapter help in wide range of activities and events including 
emergencies. They create backup radio communications networks from their 
homes or vehicles, relaying information where needed or when traditional 
systems aren’t available.

“All ARES members are ham radio operators and maintain an FCC-issued 
amateur radio license,” explained Patrick Hung, Santa Cruz ARES member. 
“We’re continuously training and ready responders for a range of needs. 
These can be helping event organizers keep track of activities, to 
locating missing people or connecting emergency agency personnel when 
their radios become inoperable.”


        Continuous readiness

ARES members participate in countywide communications drills with 
Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) and weekly statewide 
communications drills with city and the county Emergency Services Office 
to maintain preparedness.

“ARES is an integral part of the county’s emergency services,” said 
Michael Beaton, who directs the county’s General Services Department and 
Emergency Operations Center. “ They were instrumental during the CZU 
fire and gave us a big lift. They’re very well versed in emergency 
response and a great group of folks.”

Beaton became an ARES fan and now is a ham operator himself.

During the 2020 CZU August Lightning Fire, local members provided 
communications to Equine Evacuations. They coordinated horse 
transportation at stables in the mountains when many forms of 
communications were out. Backup communications at the fairgrounds were 
provided for arriving evacuees needing shelter. ARES stationed members 
on-site 24/7 for a number of days, operating alongside CERT members.

More often ARES creates communications for local events including the 
Aptos July Fourth parade, Fire in the Sky airport fireworks, Santa Cruz 
County Fair, Fireworks 50 horse endurance race, Santa Cruz Triathlon and 
the Strawberry Fields Forever and Sea Otter Classic.

Bob Fike, the ARES chapter’s emergency coordinator and ham operator 
since 1990, loves being part of the organization and appreciates the 
growing community interest.

“We’re training 50 or 60 new members a year and have a ‘no-egos’ team,” 
Fike explained. “Our communications are extremely local and mobile. It 
can be linked to CERT team members with multi-use radios. I appreciate 
helping keep our community as safe as possible. It’s like a church 
choir, amateur volunteers but very professional. We do take donations if 
event organizers choose to do that,” he adds.

Why do they call it ham radio? The name “ham” is derived from the call 
letters of the first amateur wireless station operated by members of the 
Harvard Radio Club in 1908. They were Albert S. Hyman, Bob Ablmy  and 
Poogie Murray. They decided to use the first letter of each last name as 
the station’s call or identity and became the first ham operators.

/Ford Kanzler is a Watsonville resident./

/https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2022/02/08/ford-kanzler-when-all-else-fails-ham-radio-works/
/

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