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Amateur Radio in the age of Cyberspace
By Doug Donnell
Chairman, AFCATCA Amateur Radio
Committee
Amateur call sign: KD4MD
When there’s a natural disaster amateur radio
operators are, particularly during the critical first
hours, often the only means of communications to
and from the affected regions.
In the aftermath of the recent Hurricane Helene,
for example, with widespread power outages and
cell systems inoperative, “hams” were providing
vital emergency communications even before the
storm had passed.
Until more robust emergency government and
commercial systems came online, amateur
operators were relaying messages among
emergency responders, and for family members The MARS Station at U-Tapao Airfield,
amateur radio was often the only means of Thailand, 1975
communicating information about their health and
safety to other family members. atmospheric conditions and have been adopted by
One of the key reasons the Amateur Radio Service commercial and military users. And what about
exists is the lifesaving emergency communications MARS? It, too, is still providing contingency
support it provides in times of need and our ham communications for the Department of Defense
community is always there to answer the call. although the days of the phone patches for deployed
Many of you who were stationed in Southeast Asia members are a thing of the past. These days MARS
during the Vietnam era remember Military (which now goes by Military Auxiliary Radio
Affiliate Radio System (MARS) stations that System) retains its backup mission but also has a
provided, in concert with amateur radio volunteers, day-to-day role of relaying messages from military
phone patch and MARSgram service for our aircraft and participating in military exercises.
military members. When our Association’s board of directors asked
In the pre-internet days, this was often the only me to start a committee to promote amateur radio
way families had to stay in touch with their within the AFCATC Association, I was happy to do
overseas loved ones besides the aptly named “snail so. I’ve been involved with amateur radio since
mail.” 1973 when the basic comm officer school at Keesler
While the primary mission of MARS at the time AFB gave me the electronics background to pass
was serving as a backup to military my FCC exam.
communications, the ancillary job of To help get our Association’s amateur
providing phone patches and radio program off the ground please
MARSgrams played an important do me a favor. If you’re currently a
role in boosting the troops’ morale. licensed amateur, send me an
So, what’s the status of these email at
services today? nebraska72@yahoo.com and I’ll
The Amateur Radio Service is alive get back to you for ideas
and well with approximately regarding possible future
700,000 licensed operators in the activities.
US and over three million If you don’t currently have a
worldwide. license but are interested in
As technology has moved forward, “getting your ticket,” let me know
so has the technology used in and I’ll get you started on the road
amateur radio. While high frequency to a fascinating hobby.
(HF) radio is still widely used, amateur Note the requirement to know Morse
operators also use – and often pioneered – Code as a prerequisite to getting an
a wide range of digital systems with state-of-the- amateur license was dropped many years ago.
art technologies. Today, it’s a matter of studying up on rules,
Many of the astronauts on the International Space procedures, and electronics fundamentals and
Station are licensed amateurs and frequently make passing a multiple-choice test.
contacts with earthbound hams. There are even 18
active amateur radio satellites orbiting the earth!
Digital transmission techniques developed by 73 (radio abbreviation for “best regards”),
amateurs allow communications in the most severe Doug Donnell
Air Force Cyberspace and Air Traffic Control Association 21
