AMATEUR RADIO
My commentary on my hobby, Amateur (Ham) Radio.
In April, 2016, I took the test and got licensed as a General class Radio Amateur, with a call sign of KM6BYD. I decided to get licensed because of emergency communications. I participate in several public service events a year providing radio support for running or cycling events where they are in areas with uncertain cell phone coverage. In December, I took the Amateur Extra (AE) exam and am now licensed as an AE, and changed to my current "vanity" callsign, AA6BD. If you look at my trip reports in other parts of this web site, I generated maps of the trip by using APRS, an amateur radio service. I operate using 2 meters, 10 meters, and 40 meters mostly in radio nets. I can operate when we are out in our trailer and enjoyed listening to the net just after the 2017 Solar Eclipse while we were in Oregon.
I enjoy building things. I have built projects like a timer clock, weather station, APRS station, SDR, and WSPR transmitter. I have operated using Digital communications, like APRS (Amateur Packet Radio Service which provides position reporting and other messages), Winlink (email via radio), and PSK31, a digital mode of communications that sends and receives messages using a radio.
I was a member of the Sonoma County Radio Amateurs (SCRA). We support several bicycle and running races each year, and provide communications where cell phone coverage is marginal at best in some more remote parts of the county. In 2019-2020, I was the club secretary. I managed the club loaner program and conducted the Growing Radio Amateurs sessions, intended to attract makers to amateur radio, but mostly helped club members learn about electronics, Raspberry Pi and Arduino.
In 2021, we moved to Chattanooga, TN. I have now joined a radio club here, Chattanooga Amateur Radio Club (CARC). I participate in a number of weekly nets, or on the air radio chats. I have helped at one running marathon here and plan to help with more.
I am a member of ARES, the Amateur Radio Emergency Service. In Chattanooga / Hamilton County, TN, we are also part of ACS, Auxiliary Communications Service, aligned with Hamilton County. We prepare to provide communication if needed during a disaster where regular communication is disrupted. We depend only on being able to contact another radio amateur, so we are independent of cell phone or Internet service.
I am trained as a Skywarn spotter, which the National Weather Service uses to get on the ground reports of weather events. Unfortunately, in my area, tornadoes happen. We are too far from the coasts to get hurricanes. Or so I thought until Helene blasted through western North Carolina in 2025. Any weather event is possible here.
In April, 2016, I took the test and got licensed as a General class Radio Amateur, with a call sign of KM6BYD. I decided to get licensed because of emergency communications. I participate in several public service events a year providing radio support for running or cycling events where they are in areas with uncertain cell phone coverage. In December, I took the Amateur Extra (AE) exam and am now licensed as an AE, and changed to my current "vanity" callsign, AA6BD. If you look at my trip reports in other parts of this web site, I generated maps of the trip by using APRS, an amateur radio service. I operate using 2 meters, 10 meters, and 40 meters mostly in radio nets. I can operate when we are out in our trailer and enjoyed listening to the net just after the 2017 Solar Eclipse while we were in Oregon.
I enjoy building things. I have built projects like a timer clock, weather station, APRS station, SDR, and WSPR transmitter. I have operated using Digital communications, like APRS (Amateur Packet Radio Service which provides position reporting and other messages), Winlink (email via radio), and PSK31, a digital mode of communications that sends and receives messages using a radio.
I was a member of the Sonoma County Radio Amateurs (SCRA). We support several bicycle and running races each year, and provide communications where cell phone coverage is marginal at best in some more remote parts of the county. In 2019-2020, I was the club secretary. I managed the club loaner program and conducted the Growing Radio Amateurs sessions, intended to attract makers to amateur radio, but mostly helped club members learn about electronics, Raspberry Pi and Arduino.
In 2021, we moved to Chattanooga, TN. I have now joined a radio club here, Chattanooga Amateur Radio Club (CARC). I participate in a number of weekly nets, or on the air radio chats. I have helped at one running marathon here and plan to help with more.
I am a member of ARES, the Amateur Radio Emergency Service. In Chattanooga / Hamilton County, TN, we are also part of ACS, Auxiliary Communications Service, aligned with Hamilton County. We prepare to provide communication if needed during a disaster where regular communication is disrupted. We depend only on being able to contact another radio amateur, so we are independent of cell phone or Internet service.
I am trained as a Skywarn spotter, which the National Weather Service uses to get on the ground reports of weather events. Unfortunately, in my area, tornadoes happen. We are too far from the coasts to get hurricanes. Or so I thought until Helene blasted through western North Carolina in 2025. Any weather event is possible here.
AND MORE
While I spend a lot of time with Amateur (Ham) Radio, I also like other things, especially playing around with electronics, particularly Raspberry Pi microcomputer and Arduino/ESP32 microprocessor. As noted above, a lot of this has to do with amateur radio, but other fun things happen.
I use a Raspberry Pi as a weather station, and I have a base station in the kitchen and remote temperature/humidity stations based on Raspberry Pi and Arduino around the house that all report their conditions to the base station which we can access through the Internet. I plan to add a more complete weather station including wind speed and rainfall, and then will broadcast the status using APRS.
I use a Raspberry Pi as a weather station, and I have a base station in the kitchen and remote temperature/humidity stations based on Raspberry Pi and Arduino around the house that all report their conditions to the base station which we can access through the Internet. I plan to add a more complete weather station including wind speed and rainfall, and then will broadcast the status using APRS.