Easy Target is a realistic fiction novel, written by a radio amateur named Cynthia Wall, KA7ITT. It is an amateur radio novel illustrating two teenagers, Kim, KA7SJP, and Marc, KA7ITR, who stumbled upon mystery cases about dead whales, illegal drug traffics, and everyday life. On one night, during a �fox� hunt, Kim and Marc saw too much about illegal drug smuggling and the drug dealers. A fox hunt in amateur radio is a game of hide and seek, but with a little amateur radio twist to it. Since Kim witnessed what was going on, the drug dealers tried to hunt her down. Easy Target shows a realistic vision involving amateur radio technique and activities.

In the novel, the characters communicate normally on the radio as in real life. On pages 12, 30-31, 52, 96, 134-135, 147, and so on show how the amateur radio operators operate their equipments like in the real world. The author used real callsigns such as KA7SJP for Kim, and KA7ITR for Marc. A callsign is a code consisting letters and numbers issued by the FCC for a licensed radio operator. The roles use appropriate words, phrases or messages such as �clear� for signing off the frequency. They say �monitoring� when they standby listening on the frequency. They also say �seventy three� meaning best wishes before to say good-bye. This book uses the correct grammar and wording that radio amateurs use on their radio communication.

In the book, the author also mentions the kind of amateur radio equipment and terms the characters used, and how the characters operate. The amateur radio equipment and how the characters use it was very true and factual. For examples on pages 8, 28-30, 32, and so on, the author mentions about 2M (two meter band) hand-held radio, microphones, repeaters, transceivers, dipole antenna and three element beam antenna. The way the characters operate the equipment looks like real. In the story, the characters also employ the correct amateur radio operating procedure.

Moreover when the characters in the novel witnessed something inappropriate they used their radio to communicate with each other and to the authorities. For example, on page 83-84, Kim explained that she had talked to many other operators through airwaves about looking out for someone who was out there shooting at whales. Later on in the book, Marc and other volunteers went into a cave and reported through radio about the discovery of illegal drugs to Kim. Then she relayed it to her friend at the coast guard who handled the drugs immediately. The communication is not only about reporting negative conducts of others, but also for talking regarding ordinary life to friends. Such as on page 12, Kim was monitoring a frequency when an operator named Gary tuned in and said hi to everyone who listened. In the story Kim and Gary became good friends. On page 162, Gary said: �It seems that Kim had alerted the amateur radio community to be on the lookout for whoever was killing the gray whales ...�. Also it mentions a few times in the book that Kim and Marc talk on the frequency about their everyday life to safety or emergency traffic such as reporting an illegal drugs finding. In the story the whales killer was also an illegal drugs smuggler in Newport who was arrested by the authorities. The book shows the proper communication in time of emergency and regular chatting called QSO using amateur radio between licensed operators.

The way the novel portrays the radio equipment and how to use it, and illustrate the social events are very much true in life. The author has also written many amateur radio novels based on the amateur radio facts, though they are not heavy in radio technology and technique for common readers. The author always uses real names and their amateur radio callsigns making the story looks like real. She always uses simple language that is easy for younger readers to understand yet entertaining. The author�s background and experiences have enriched the story that the readers feel that the story is true. The messages in the story can be good tips for the radio amateurs when they are in the same situation as in the novel. It is an example that amateur radio is not only an experimentation or a hobby but it can be used to save life and other positive activities. It is a nice novel for both radio amateurs and non-operators to enjoy reading it. I second a licensed and experienced radio operator who said that this novel should be in every school�s and public library. ===

* I have submitted this report on May 8, 2006, to my 7th grade English Language Arts teacher, Mr. Kenneth Kline, at Jamesville-DeWitt Middle School, as an assignment of 1-3-1 course. He wrote at the end of my paper "Your best 1-3-1 of the year!" Thanks, Mr. Kline.