Ham Clubs : Amateur Radio Operators Get a Handle on a Hobby

QST, QST, QST, calling all ham operators!

On the road, you can often identify them by their personalized license plates

their call numbers.

In Greater Los Angeles, about 1,000 hams drive the freeways with their Handy Talkies, ready to report emergencies. Other hams monitor their calls and contact the CHP, fire department or police.

Hams communicate by voice, computer or Morse code. They sometimes send and receive signals via satellites, or even bounce them off the moon.

During a recent National Field Day, an annual event, hams met at sites across the United States to practice emergency communications. For 24 hours it was assumed that a disaster had knocked out electrical power utilities. Thousands of radio stations were set up in trailers, RVs and mobile rigs nationwide.

Phineas J. Icenbice Jr. is section manager for Los Angeles County of the American Radio Relay League. One function of the group is to set up emergency civilian communications during disasters. During the huge Mexico earthquake of September, 1985, for example, the group helped people locate stranded relatives.

Besides a variety of general-purpose and public-service groups, there is Radioclub Latino-Americano in North Hollywood, Handy Hams (handicapped groups) and clubs involved in weather and earthquake watches. Many clubs offer licensing courses at little or no charge.

It’s not difficult to get a ham radio amateur license. Books and magazines on the subject are available at radio stores.

The hobby is not very expensive; a basic receiver might cost as little as $200.

To qualify for the novice license, an operator must have knowledge of basic electronics, FCC rules and regulations and the ability to transmit Morse code at five words a minute.

For a prospective-ham packet, contact the American Radio Relay League, Department Q, 225 Main St., Newington, Conn. 06111. For a list of classes and exams given in Southern California, contact Joseph A. Cira, affiliated club coordinator of ARRL Referral service, 3075 Oneida St., Pasadena, Calif. 91107, or telephone (818) 584-9071 (evenings).

In addition, Gordon West’s Radio School, 2414 College Drive, Costa Mesa, Calif. 92626, (714) 549-5000, has trained many amateur radio operators.

The best way to start is to visit a nearby radio club. Guests are welcome. Here’s a sampling of places where you can develop the ham in you.

Associated Radio Amateurs of Long Beach Inc. (ARALB), P.O. Box 7493, Long Beach, Calif. 90807. Meets first Friday of the month, 7:30 p.m., Signal Hill Community Center, 1708 E. Hill St., Signal Hill. Contact Harry Goldstick, (213) 866-1309.

The club’s station is the Queen Mary’s wireless room, which the members restored and which is a special attraction to visitors of the Long Beach ship. ARALB members and other hams monitor the station daily, contacting individuals all over the world and helping out in emergencies. The club’s QSL card (Morse code for “can you acknowledge receipt?”) is highly prized because of its large size and because it contains pictures and facts about the ship.

Downey Amateur Radio Club (DARC), S. Middle School, 12500 S. Birchdale St., Downey, Calif. Meets first Thursday of the month, 7 p.m. Contact Ralph Jump, (213) 869-6683, or Leon Emerson, (213) 862-1961. It also has a year-round radio school; for reservations call Ken Wahrenbrock, (213) 803-6045.

Covering Santa Fe Springs, South Gate, Norwalk and Pico Rivera, members of DARC monitor emergency calls through their stations at the Downey Police and Fire departments. They also participate in parades, marathons and many social events.

Ladies Amateur Radio Assn. of Orange County (LARA). Breakfast meeting first Saturday of the month, 9:30 a.m., Jolly Roger Restaurant, Buena Park Mall, 8376 La Palma Ave., Buena Park. For membership information, contact Kathy Brown (KA6NLP) at (714) 991-0929 evenings or weekends, or write to her at 1316 Rosewood Place, Anaheim, Calif. 92805.

The club, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary, also has members in Downey, Whittier, Long Beach and other parts of eastern Los Angeles County. Their fund-raising projects have benefited battered and abused children, stroke victims at St. Jude’s Hospital, Guide Dogs for the Blind and other charities.

San Fernando Valley ARC Inc. New site is Air National Guard Station, 15900 Victory Blvd., Van Nuys. Meets on third Friday of the month, 7:30 p.m. Pre-registration exams or club mail is via P.O. Box 3151, Van Nuys, Calif. 91407. Contact Larry Etter, (818) 366-9855, or Mike Stuber, afternoons, (818) 988-7165.

This is an all-around club emphasizing social activities, speakers and radio communications. Amateur radio classes are free and are held at 7 p.m. every Friday (except the third Friday); call for class site.

San Gabriel Valley Radio Club (SGVRC), P.O. Box 88, Monrovia, Calif. 91016. Meets the first Tuesday of every month except December, 7:30 p.m., at the Community Center, Arcadia Park, 405 S. Santa Anita Ave., Arcadia. Contact Jim Paquin, (818) 447-6541.

SGVRC members participate in events like the Special Olympics. One member even located a lost child at a Rose Parade.

Southern California Amateur Transmitting Society (SCATS). Write P.O. Box 1770, Covina, Calif. 91722. Meets the first Monday of every month, 7 p.m., at the Cortez School, 2226 E. Rio Verde Drive, West Covina. Contact Pat McNulty, (714) 622-8315, after 4 p.m.

SCATS members encourage young people to become hams and offer year-round instruction. McNulty said: “Along with other special events, we participate in National Field Day each year.”

United Radio Amateur Club, Los Angeles Maritime Museum, Berth 84, foot of 6th Street, San Pedro. Meets the third Friday of the month at 8 p.m. (enter left set of double doors of museum, not main entrance). Contact Merrill Stone at (213) 378-2789.

This club now operates a new radio station (K6AA), with the latest equipment contributed (through the museum) by major manufacturers. Plans call for a setting similar to a ship’s radio room.

Western Amateur Radio Assn. (WARA): Cerritos Park East Clubhouse, 166th Street and Carmenita Avenue, Cerritos. Meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7 p.m. Write Glen Newlin, 17881 Carranza Lane, Huntington Beach, Calif. 92647 or contact Paul Barron, (213) 861-6894.

At La Habra’s Imperial Middle School there’s ongoing radio instruction. When volunteer WARA members taught young people amateur radio, it was added to the curriculum as an elective. So far, 12 teen-agers have received their radio “tickets” (licenses). Paul Barron says, “We were on the scene in minutes of the Cerritos plane crash and served with the Red Cross during the recent earthquake.”

Westside Amateur Radio Club,Red Cross Building, 1450 11th St. (near Broadway), Santa Monica. Meets the third Thursday of every month, 7:30 p.m. Contact Ray Speckman, 1046 Rose Ave., Venice, Calif. 90291, (213) 399-7447.

The club’s radio station is a Red Cross facility. One member works with the Boy Scouts and talks to them about aspects of the hobby such as electricity, geography and speaking different languages.

Yucaipa Valley Amateur Radio Club (YVARC), Gibraltar Savings Community Room, 2nd Street and Yucaipa Boulevard, Yucaipa. Meets the third Monday of every month, 7:30 p.m. Write YVARC, P.O. Box 209, Yucaipa, Calif. 92399, or contact George Gastineau at (714) 795-2867 or Floyd Schad at (714) 797-7331.

These ham radio amateurs hold socials including breakfasts and potluck suppers. Most are retirees. Earthquake drills are held throughout the year. Radio classes are offered on request. The club also sponsors radio amateur test sessions for the FCC and monitors parades and other civic events.

Additional sources for prospective ham operators are Henry Radio, 2050 S. Bundy Drive, Los Angeles, (213) 820-1234 or (213) 272-0861, and Ham Radio Outlet, 6265 Sepulveda Blvd., Van Nuys, (818) 988-2212 (other Ham Radio Outlet stores are in Anaheim and San Diego). These stores carry new and used equipment, books, supplies and accessories.