Amateur Radio Club to host Special Event Saturday

The Green Valley Amateur Radio Club is sponsoring a Special Event Station on Saturday, April 9, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Green Valley Mall and the public is invited.

The club, 125 members strong, meets regularly the second Wednesday of each month at the SAV building in Green Valley.

The also put on special events like this one, said President Gene Schouweiler, to educate the public about ham radios.

"We have our own equipment and we run our own licensing classes because a federal license is required to run a ham radio," he explained.

Worldwide communication

"We want to demonstrate how, with minimum facilities and equipment, you can set up a radio station and literally communicate all over the world."

The hub of the activity Saturday will be behind the old Firehouse/ Los Amigos/Oasis spot off Esperanza Boulevard.

All licensed radio operators are invited to bring their licenses and operate the Club Station.

A Special Event Station is an amateur radio station that uses a particular call sign to exchange greetings with other members of the ham community during a designated period.

Best snowbird nest

The members of the Green Valley club will use the special call N7GV during their participation in this event. They will be showcasing our community as "The Best Little Snowbird Nest in the Southwest."

They hope to talk with many other hams throughout the world. This activity will help them to hone their radio skills so that they will be proficient in responding to any emergency, said Schouweiler.

The last Special Event Station sponsored by GVARC was held at the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Museum several years ago. Participation was outstanding as many radio amateurs contacted our station at the Titan Missile Museum.

"They received a certificate confirming each contact. We hope for the same response this time, " Schouweiler said.

There will be various Emergency Responders participating in this unique event in Green Valley Mall.

The Green Valley Fire District will display one of their on-duty trucks.

The Sheriff's Auxiliary Volunteers will have their Mobile Command Post vehicle on display. The vehicle has been dubbed "Battleship Galactica" because of is size and technological sophistication.

And from 11 a.m. until noon, GVARC will hold a demonstration of Amateur Satellite Communications.

Ham Radio Operators provide communications support for many activities.

Locally, they help with the White Elephant parade, the Alzheimer's Walk and the Bike-a-thon.

They also work with children at Continental School to teach them to become hams and complete the required training, said longtime club member Lloyd Miller.

All over the nation, walks and rides to raise funds for various charitable organizations depend on amateurs for their communication needs.

Emergency backup

Amateur Radio provides emergency backup communication for many Civil Defense organizations. They work with members of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), who will also be represented at this Special Event.

CERT is a program that trains and prepares citizens, including those in Green Valley, in the event of a natural, man-made, or technological disaster.

Following a disaster, first responders who provide fire and medical services may not be able to meet the demand for these services.

Factors such as number of victims, communication failures, and road blockages will prevent people from accessing emergency services they have come to expect at a moment's notice through 9-1-1.

The citizens may have to rely on each other for help in order to meet their immediate life saving and life sustaining needs. The public is invited to join them in meeting their goal of "People Helping People."

'We encourage all the readers of this news article to join us on Saturday. Bring your family and your friends and learn more about the world of Amateur Radio," Schouweiler said.

For more information on this Special Event, call Gene Schouweiler, W0KAD at 207-4706, or Lloyd Miller, N7GV at 648-2834.

kengle@gvnews.com | 547-9736