Public Service

Working public service events is a big part of Amateur Radio. It allows us to better hone our communication skills, gives us an opportunity to try various ways of operating outside of our ham shacks and allows us to interact with the public. Most people think of Amateur Radio as a hobby. And it is. But it is much more than that. Most people think that all we do is sit in a room full of weird-looking radio gear and talk to people from across the street and around the world. We do but there is more to it than that. There are many fine organizations that sponsor fun runs, benefit walks, benefit bike rides, etc. where reliable communications is needed. They have neither the money nor the manpower required to lease radios, teach people how to operate them, man the stations with radio-equipped personnel, etc., etc. This is where we fit in. The FCC states that we cannot work any positions, jobs etc, using Amateur Radio if there is a pecuniary interest involved. So, we volunteer our time and radios for these events and organizations. While this may seem boring to the outsider, there is always something interesting going on at these events. Also there is a lot of planning involved; making sure we have enough people to cover each position that needs a radio, figuring out what repeaters, if any, that we are going to use and so on. If you enjoy a logistical challenge this is a great way to exercise your problem-solving abilities. All of these public service events are also a type of training. Training we hope we will never have to use. This training will prove invaluable in the event of a man-made or natural disaster. We have seen that man-made disaster and terrorist-type actions are no longer confined to other countries. The Oklahoma City bombing and the World Trade Center in New York bombing are just two examples. Amateur Radio operators stepped in at Oklahoma City and provided much needed support to the overloaded public safety communications infrastructure. Natural disasters such as tornados, hurricanes, floods, blizzards and such wreak their fair share of havoc as well. Hams supported the local government communications in south Texas during the flooding that took place in that region late last year. Hams in Central America provided assistance before, during and after Hurricane Mitch.

These are just a few examples of the ways that Amateur radio can benefit the public. We know it's hard to work every event and we don't expect you to. Nobody should expect that from anybody. After all, we ae volunteers. But we would appreciate your help at any event, no matter how big or small. The training you receive is priceless. You won't even realize that it is a training exercise. But when you get down to it, it is. It will also make you a better operator all together and will give you a chance to meet new hams.

The Kilocycle Club of Fort Worth prides itself on being a public-service oriented club. Many of our members are also members of Tarrant County RACES. Some of the organizations/events that we provide communications for are:

Cowtown Marathon

Jingle Bell Run

Alzheimer's Association

March Of Dimes

Lukemia Society

Multiple Sclerosis Society

and others.

If you would like more information on how to help out at the various events that we provide communications for, contact:

Mike Heskett, WB5QLD at (817) 485-3745 or e-mail him.

Keith Pugh, W5IU, at (817)-292-5633 or e-mail him.

Last updated 26 Jan 99