On the air … Ham radio operators

Sitting in a small trailer in Roosevelt Park on Saturday morning, Bill Cunnane’s first contact of the day ended up being an individual in Mongolia – an Asian nation that borders Russia and China.

It was the start of the Lincoln County Amateur Radio Group’s demonstration during Fourth of July activities in Troy. Folks could step up to the equipment and try to make their own contact while learning about the art of amateur radio.

Cunnane could share plenty of stories about his experiences over the years. King Hussein of Jordan, the 1986 Chernobyl disaster and the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center are just a few examples of the fascinating subjects and events that he has taken on.

Heck, on one occasion, he chatted with astronauts.

“I’ve always been tinkering around with radios since I was a kid,” said Cunnane, who went and got a license more than 30 years ago and served as a radio operator in the military. “I’ve talked to King Hussein … I talked to the International Space Station from my car, the Calgary Stampede, the aircraft carrier Midway in San Diego.”

Although those types of contacts are fun and interesting, one of the primary purposes of amateur radio operators is to help in times of an emergency. On 9/11 when terrorism changed America, Cunnane lived in Dover, N.J. From his home station, he communicated with emergency management officials, which included operations out of McGuire Air Force Base, located in south-central New Jersey.

After moving to Libby five years ago, Cunnane brought his expertise to the Lincoln County group, which has done test drills with local emergency management in the past. With his trailer and radio equipment, Cunnane can be set up in less than a half-hour after arriving on site.

“We’re trying to get a core group together to provide service if an emergency occurs,” Cunnane said. “We’d like to get a core group of around 20 … we really want to expand.”

Doug Griffiths, a veterinarian in Libby, is an example of someone who has really embraced the activity. Years ago, he had an interest in amateur radio and took a class on Morse Code.

“I took the class with many of the same members that are still here now,” Griffiths said. “Then in the springtime, I got a little too interested in flyfishing.”

Twenty-five years passed before Griffiths picked it up again. He has completed two of the three levels of licensing by passing the Technician Class and General Class exams. He is currently working on passing the Amateur Extra Class exam.

“It becomes more complex as you move up,” Griffiths said. “Your privileges increase as you move up the scale.”

Many ham radio operators could say they have hundreds of friends around the world without exaggeration. The activity is popular among many different types of groups from large corporations to churches attempting to communicate with missionaries overseas.

“It’s an interesting little aspect of the hobby because you really meet people,” Cunnane said.

One of the most memorable ham radio experiences of Cunnane’s life occurred in late April 1986 when a nuclear reactor exploded in Chernobyl, Ukraine. Highly radioactive fallout into the atmosphere was the result – something residents knew nothing about when Cunnane picked up his radio.

“I saw something about it on CNN and went on the radio to see if any of the guys from Kiev were on,” he said. “They said nothing was wrong.”

King Hussein became involved in trying to inform the Russians that a disaster had occurred. Cunnane spent the next several hours trying to warn people to “get out of Dodge.”

It’s that power of amateur radio that motivates enthusiasts like Cunnane.

“It’s what one person can do,” he said. “Think about what thousands can do.”