Te Weraiti Radar Station in the Kaimai Ranges.
Waipā Ham Radio enthusiast Don Short is hoping to bring the younger generation up to frequency on an important part of Civil Defence and communications across the world.
Don Short activating the summit on Ruru at Te Miro. Photo: Doug Hopkins
“My father was involved with CB radios when I was younger and that gave me some interest,” Karāpiro-based Short said.
“I got my ham licence 30 years ago, used it for bit, had kids and then just more recently I got back into it. My father sparked it off again. But boy has it changed.”
Ham Radio, or amateur radio, is about experimenting and communicating using not only radio, but also a range of technologies. It can be used with no power, in places with no internet or cell phone service.
A nationwide Ham Radio event – Potaholics Mid-winter 30 – will take place on Sunday.
Pota is an abbreviation for Parks On The Air. Kiwi enthusiasts set up in parks with mobile equipment and make contacts with other people up and down the country.
A Maungatautari summit activation. Photo: Doug Hopkins
“You can put up an aerial temporarily, running on batteries and talk to people all over New Zealand on something smaller than the size of my hand. It’s very low powered,” Short said.
“I have a 20-metre piece of wire, I put that up a six-metre pole, slide it down to the ground and connect that to the radio. Then I plug a phone power bank into my little transmitter.
“That’s how portable it is now – before you’d be lugging a car battery around.”
The goal is to bank 30 voice contacts between 9am and 9pm. The call sign and time must be logged for each contact before being uploaded to an online application.
Short and other Waipā enthusiasts will set up at the Karāpiro Lookout.
“It will be out in the public and offer an opportunity for anyone interested in the radio hobby to have a look and ask some questions,” Short said.
“In the old days you had to attend night classes, learn morse code before you could start using a radio.
“The morse code requirement has long since been removed and clubs run exam cram weekends to help people get their licences.
“Back in the day, Cambridge had a Ham Radio club that operated out of the bottom of the Band Rotunda in Leamington.”
Short said Ham Radio has really changed over the past three decades; there aren’t many clubs around but individually there’s a resurgence.
“Another new thing I discovered is, some guys send balloons up several thousand metres. They can circumnavigate the world, multiple times, and send a signal down,” Short said.
“You can track where in the world the balloons are. You’d never have been able to do that in the past.
“My hope is, to be able to go to a school, and launch a balloon with the children seeing it.
“Then I can give them the details about how to log in and track it, so they can see how it works.”
Don activating the summit on Ruru. Photo: Doug Hopkins
Short recalls having to spend thousands of dollars to get into the radio side of the hobby. With Chinese-made radios, the entry cost has diminished considerably.
“It’s a great opportunity for kids if they’re exposed to this technology. People can come along to the POTA event and see how it works,” he said.
“You turn up there with your gear on a planned time and particular day and tell other enthusiasts what the frequency is.”
Short learnt morse code 30 years ago is relearning it again via the internet.
“I can reach people around the world with a lot less power,” Short said.
“I have my morse code key and I plug it into my computer, go to a chat room, somebody responds and we’re sending morse code across the internet.
“We’re not actually using radio waves, but we’re using it to learn morse code. That’s how the whole digital aspect has come into it.
“If there’s a disaster, it’s the people with Ham Radio that can go out, set up temporary stations and provide that comms service.
“There’s still definitely a place and a space for it in the world today.”
Another aspect Short thinks is important is keeping people connected, especially those that may be housebound.
“Ham is great for older people that don’t have mobility. They don’t get out but still love the radio,” Short said.
“This creates a really neat connection for some of them. They can listen during the day and have a yack to somebody.”
Potaholics event organiser Grant Gilbert echoes Short’s sentiments. It’s great for all ages and stages.
“If anyone is interested in getting their licence and making heaps of new mates with awesome activities, this would be a great time to come along and check it out.”
Te Weraiti Radar Station in the Kaimai Ranges. Photo: Doug Hopkins
