BROOKINGS Since 1963, a dedicated band of ham radio operators have kept the local airwaves busy. Technology has changed, but the members of the Brookings Amateur Radio Research Club still regularly meet to swap stories about their on-air adventures.
Were a group of hams, Bruce Bortnem, club president, said. I think it was originally organized as a campus club. We basically moved into the city hall building at that time and continued there. Brookings has quite a number of hams per capita.
Today, the clubs 25 members run the gamut from young to old.
We get some members because of SDSU. They do have electronics engineering up there, and we have some engineering and computer science people, Bortnem said. Weve got some high school students, too. Actually our secretary and our treasurer had to both wait to take office because they werent 18 yet.
Licensed ham operators are assigned a call sign by the FCC. Bortnems is KE0NWG, and the club itself has a collective call sign of W0BXO. Licenses for individuals come in three flavors technician, general and extra each requiring passage of an increasingly difficult test.
I passed a practice test without ever having even seen it before, Bortnem said. So I bought (some) radio stuff, looked up the club guys, took the test and got my tech license here. A couple weeks later I got my general license over in Minnesota.
Hes taken the exam for the next level twice, missing it by just one point the last time. Each level grants usage of more radio frequencies. Even a general license has proven enough for Bortnem to achieve some impressive feats.
My furthest contact is to Minneapolis but all the way around the world, he said. I was talking to a guy in New Zealand, which is to the southwest. Then theres this guy in Minneapolis that was talking to a guy in Svalbard, which is a Norwegian island. I could hear him talking. So, I swung my antenna around and pointed at him, but then I couldnt hear anything. I swung the antenna back around, got his attention and talked to him from all the way around the world.
Hes contacted Runion Island and Perth, Australia both more than 10,000 miles away.
Ive talked to somebody on every different continent about five different times, Bortnem said. Theres a whole list of countries that are hard to talk to, like North Korea because nobodys allowed to use ham radios there. (Another challenge) is Bouvet Island, which is a sub-Antarctic island between South America and South Africa. Youre kind of out in the middle of nowhere. Last time there was somebody there, they didnt have the antenna pointed towards North America, so it was really difficult to talk.
Bortnems long-distance feats are just one facet of the clubs focus.
Bruce goes about as far as you can go with what he does. I wouldnt hold a candle to him, David Peterson call sign KC0TWN said. For me, its just a wonderful opportunity to socialize and learn a lot. Got a problem with equipment or something not just ham equipment but vehicles or anything? Well, weve got such a variety of expertise in this group, and people share it with you.
He regularly participates in on-air meetings called nets.
Theres not just a South Dakota net its North Dakota, Minnesota net and I guess you can even go with the one in Nebraska, Peterson said. When there was COVID and people were feeling shut-in, this group operated throughout. You were always visiting with people. Its a social event. We talk to each other, we talk to people in different cities, we talk to people in different states. Youre never by yourself.
For Paul Setnes call sign KF0MRV meteorology was a gateway to radio.
I lived in a little town about 30 miles north of Fargo, Setnes said. The weather bureau didnt have anybody up there, so I went to the highest point which was the overpass over the interstate and Id just sit there. I contacted them, and they contacted me. They wanted to know what I was seeing in cloud formations.
Over the years, he drifted away from the hobby.
I got a change in job, got really busy, got kids and things. I just didnt have time, so (the equipment) sat on the shelf, Setnes said. Well, a farmer came in one day. He says, Whats all that stuff? So I start explaining it to him, and theres a slip (of paper) alongside everything it was my license, which expired five years previously.
By re-taking the tests, Setnes earned his technician license two years ago and re-attained his general license in April. He said it was worth it, and he encouraged anyone with an interest to join the group and learn more.
The club meets at the Brookings Public Safety Center, 307 3rd Ave., the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. They also meet at the Brookings Hy-Vee, 790 22nd Ave. S., every Thursday at 2 p.m. for a social hour. Membership is $20 per year for a single or $25 for a family.
More information is at http://www.w0bxo.org, and the club welcomes questions emailed to [email protected].
Email Jay Roe at [email protected].
Leave a Reply