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Letter to the editor

Do you copy me?

The St. Petersburg Amateur Radio Club celebrates 75 years.

By SANDEE DAVIES
Published June 17, 2007

Inspired by Alexander Graham Bell's demonstration of the telephone, a 10-year-old Reginald Fessenden reportedly asked, "Why do they need wires?"

He went on to spend much of his life trying to figure it out. The Canadian-born Fessenden was fascinated with the idea of transmitting voice and later achieved success with the first voice transmission on Dec. 23, 1900.

Amateur operators soon set up a system to relay messages from coast to coast. The noncommercial, two-way transmissions are sent by Morse code or by voice.

In the early days, stations occupied the wavelengths. Two amateurs, with powerful stations, could jam all the other operations in the area.

Frustrated commercial operators would refer to the operators as "hams." Amateurs, possibly unfamiliar with the term, picked it up and applied it to themselves.

In 1927, the precursor agency to the FCC assigned specific frequencies for various uses including amateur radio. Today, there are more than 2, 000 Amateur Radio clubs throughout the country. Some hams are attracted by the ability to communicate across the country, around the globe, or even with astronauts on space missions. Most use it to open the door to new friendships.

The St. Petersburg Amateur Radio Club celebrates its 75th anniversary, with an annual field day with operators throughout the United States and Canada.

During the event, operators set up in local parks, shopping malls, and in their own back yards and try to contact as many other Field Day stations as possible in a 24-hour period.

More than 30, 000 operators across the country and Canada participated in last year's event.

Amateur radio field day

What: Amateur radio field day where ham operators all over the United States and Canada test their communication skills.

Where: Bay Pines Veterans Hospital on a site behind Building 37 in the waterfront area.

When: From 2 p.m. Saturday June 23 till 2 p.m. Sunday June 24.

Details: Anyone interested is welcome to come out and watch the pros in action. Call 347-7422

Get ready

Disaster planning for pets: Learn what options are available, 7 p.m. Tuesday, SPCA Tampa Bay, 9099 130th Ave. N, Largo. Free. Call to register at 586-3591 or check the Web at www.spcafl.org.

Becoming storm savvy: Listen as Pinellas County hurricane expert Tom Iovino shatters persistent myths such as: "I'm ready - I have my windows taped."

"I'm safe if I evacuate to a higher floor of my condo."

"It will never happen here."

-2 p.m. Wednesday, Pinellas Park Public Library, 7770 52nd St. N.

-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Gulfport Library. Free. Call 541-0719 for Pinellas Park or 893-1074 for Gulfport or check the Web at www.pinellascounty.org/emergency.

[Last modified June 16, 2007, 21:28:37]