Fred and Jennifer Harris transmit from Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument in New Mexico while their children sport their junior ranger badges in the background. Photo courtesy of the Harris fam
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“How amateur radio enthusiasts are celebrating the National Park Service centennial by transmitting their adventures around the globe
What do you pack when you visit a national park? A map, a water bottle and snacks, and a tube of sunscreen? Maybe some camping gear, or a kayak and a paddle?
When Sean Kutzko packs for his national park trips, he brings a seven-pound backpack with a battery, a transmitter, and a 30-foot piece of wire. Using this modest equipment, he can communicate with people around the country and sometimes even other parts of the world.
“It’s similar to mountain climbers who want to reach the summit and say, I did it!” Kutzko explained of his decades-long fascination with transmitting from new and exciting locations as an amateur ham radio operator.
Ham radio is a noncommercial communications medium that allows users with basic operator licenses to have two-way conversations with each other on frequencies reserved for public use. These operators—who, to give you an idea of their fun-loving nature, often refer to themselves as “hams”—enjoy striking up conversations with a far-ranging and enthusiastic audience.”.….READ FULL ARTICLE
Chinese Amateur Satellite Group (CAMSAT) has announced the impending launch of the CAS-7B satellite, also designated as BP-1B, a short-lived spacecraft that will carry an Amateur Radio payload. An unusual feature of the spacecraft is its “s... Read more
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