[SBE] 4th of July

[Ted Randall]

Hi to all and happy 4th.

 

I was privileged to do a live broadcast of amateur radio Field Day on
international shortwave.

We were taking live check ins from ARRL Field Day locations all across the
country and putting them on the air.

It was real exciting as amateur radio groups got to share their activities
while the rest of the country tuned in to listen.

Field Day locations were able to hear what other locations were doing and
many call ins from all over the country.

 

Then the show seemed like it came to a standstill as we took a call from the
"Baghdad Amateur Radio Society". It was Captain Jeffery Hammer and his group
of soldiers located just north of Baghdad in Iraq.

They had found our broadcast on WBCQ 7415  and wanted to call in as they
were trying to work the US during Field Day.

Captain Hammer is mentoring a number of our boys into the hobby of ham radio
there in Iraq.

Here are some excerpts from his emails to us.

 

Ted,

 

Happy 4th of July!

 

We will be have a cookout tonight, no fireworks unfortunately, 

but I believe we have a few boxes of sparklers we can have fun with!

Thanks for the pictures!  

I am reminded of a quote that our chaplain mentioned during 

service a few weeks ago.  "God doesn't always answer

our prayers with what we ask for, but rather presents us with

opporunities for our prayers to be answered."  War is a bad thing no

matter how you look at.  But I believe it falls into that category of

necessary evils.  I try to look beyond the face of the war.  Behind all

the media images of death and destruction, soldiers are doing

extraordinary things from helping Iraqi villages with clothing and

medical treatment, helping train Iraqi police and army personnel so that

they can defend their country, and mentoring our young soldiers to be

better men and women in all aspects of their life.  It is not easy to

see the good in war unless you look beyond the obvious.

 

For me and my fellow Hams, we would never have met, never have had the

chance to grow new ham radio operators, never had the chance to spread

international goodwill by communicating with Hams all over Europe, Asia,

and Africa from Iraq.  We certainly don't want a war to facilitate our

ham radio activities, but in the midst of war God gives us the chance to

make great and wonderful things happen.

 

Sincerely,

Jeff

 

They do listen to shortwave as internet is not exactly easy access.

 

For the MP3s, the government server will not allow streaming music because
of the bandwidth requirements.  The Morale Room computers can download them
but they are very slow and those computers don't have speakers although I
could take a headset. It is difficult for many of us to find time to get on
a morale computer because there is usually a long waiting line.  But that's
part of life in a combat zone.  I think we are lucky to even have access to
the Internet in a combat zone.

 

73, Jeff

 

They are working with less than what they need.

We have started a project to try to get them some radio gear. 

I asked for Captain Hammer to give us a "wish list".

I told him to put down a dream list.

He was hesitant at first but did complyJ

Even though what he lists is a "dream list" bottom line they need some
things.

An HF amplifier to start!

Good used gear is most welcomed.

 

I would ask that you go to the website and look at their pictures, pass the
word along to any that you think may be interested.

 

http://www.tedrandall.com  "Field Day Iraq" and "Wish List"

 

I hope this adds a little to your 4th of July!!

 

Thanks

 

Ted Randall

 

KAIJ International Broadcast Station

Dallas/Nashville

615-469-0702

www.tedrandall.com

 

Past Chapter Chairman

Society Of Broadcast Engineers Chapter 103

Nashville, TN

615-517-2194

www.sbe.org

 

'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing' 
Edmund Burke 



 

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