raffia BmS
October 24 - 301982
Durham's Black HAMs
One of Only Two
is in Nation
Melvin Hamilton and his.
friends often have long range
conversations with other
friends, not only in this
country but overseas as well.
But these chitchats, called
in the parlance, "rag chew
ing," don't run up the phone
bill.
Hamilton and his friends
are Amateur Radio
Operators, HAMs for short,
and they talk to other HAMs
around the country and
across the world,
"We are one of only two
all-black HAM clubs in the
world, as far as I know,"
said Hamilton, who is presi
dent of the II -member
group. "But we are trying to
spread the message and get
some increased interest in
this hobby in the black com
munity." Recently, the club Mid
State Amateur Radio Society
launched a series of
classes in HAM radio techni
ques . at the Garner Road
KMCA in Raleigh. The
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TWO HAMs George Birner (toft) and Coolldge McCoy (right) operate an array of amateur ratio OfarsSai
equipment during a recent "field day" exercise in Durham. Bamer and McCoy are two of eleven members tf
the area's only all-black HAM radio operator-group.
Photo by ttMMty4MHl
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classes, now entering their se
cond month, are scheduled
on Monday and Thursday
-evenings, 7-9 p.m. According
to Hamilton, the classes
cover the basic information
necessary , to help students
qualify for the examination a
person must pass to get a
HAM radio operator's
license.
The. license is issued by the
Federal Communications
Commission, the federal
agency that controls the air
ways in this country.
Persons interested in
enrolling in the classes
should call the "Y" in
Raleigh. The number is
833-1256.
Amateur radio operation
has grown tremendously in
popularity over the past 30
years or so. According tc
Peter O'Dell, public inform
mation officer, for the
American Radio Relay
League the HAM profes
sional organization, there are
more than one million
HAMs. in the world, and
about 400,000 in this coun-.
try, and another 30,000 or so
in Canada. 1.
Though there are not any
specific figures on how many
of these operators are black,
Hamilton said he feels there
are fewer than 10,000. He
went on to estimate that of
the nearly 1000 operators
located in the Triangle area,
only about 50 or so of them
are black. . f
"It is not something that
we are generally exposed
to," he said, "and therefore,
we just don't give it much
thought."
Hamilton said his group
got together because they
had cpmmon interests in
several areas, including
amateur radio operation.
Mid-State's members live in
Durham, Raleigh and
Hillsborough. According to
Hamilton, the black club is
OMIK, which stands for
Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and
Kentucky, where this group's
members are located.
"They are definitely the
oldest black HAM club,"
Hamilton said. "And as far
as I know they are the only
one besides us."
Amateur radio is more
than just a hobby where a
bunch of folks spin dials as
an emergency communica
tions network during both
natural and manmade
disasters.
HAM operators have been
known to be the only link of
communications during tor
nadoes, hurricanes, severe
fires, and other disasters.
They have been credited with
saving many lives, and
generally helping to bring
order fronv chaos in many
emergencies.
- Becoming an amateut
radio operator is not easy.
An applicant has to pass a
FCC examination that tests
the applicant on the
knowledge of Morse Code,
FCC regulations, - HAM
radio equipment operation.
Once vou're set un thon
it's a matter of surviving the
annual skins assessment
called Field Day, where
operators around the world
gather .at, their equipment
and tall? and operate to prove
that the" know what they are
aomg.
"Once you nave your
license," Hamilton said,
"then you have to be willing?
to spend abqut $1000 or
more for the equipment you;
need."
Mid-State participated in
its second field day this past
June. Field Day is always
held on the first Saturday in,
June.
Memoers of Mid-State
Amateur Radio Society are:
Henry Garner, Rev.
Coolidge McToy, Melvin
Hamilton, Ciqero Greene,
Joseph Taylor, ' George
Bamer. Jim Johnson, Hugh
Smith, Travis Brown, John
Mayo.
J