Aug. 26, 2007 — Most of the year, the members of the St. John Amateur Radio Club keep busy with monthly breakfast meetings and connecting with other ham radio operators around the world. You'll also find them providing radio communications at events such as the upcoming Love City Triathlon and February's 8 Tuff Miles foot race.
But come hurricane season, the members have a seat at the table when the V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency meets.
"Our role is to organize communication between St. John and amateur radio operators back in the states," club President Paul Jordan said.
He said that communication includes forwarding information to the National Hurricane Center in Miami on the island's condition when a hurricane hits. Additionally, members send messages from residents affected by a hurricane to ham radio operators near family and friends on the mainland. When the ham radio operators get the all's well message, they phone the relatives with the news.
Jordan said that eight of the members also belong to St. John Rescue, and the club members work with organizations such as the V.I. National Park and the Police Department.
Jordan said that St. John's amateur radio operators all have portable equipment that they can use from home, their cars and other locations around the island.
Amateur radio operators are licensed by the Federal Communications Commission after being tested. The exam is given on St. John three times a year at the Bellevue Village community center.
Jordan said the group, which numbers 15, needs more members.
"Especially young members. We tend to be an older group of people and we don't have younger people coming up to replace us," he said.
He said the St. John members have varying interests. Some are enticed by electronics, others enjoy building things, and still others just like "chewing the rag."
"Hams are very friendly. They like talking to each other," Jordan said.
He said a friend who once lived on St. Thomas contacts him regularly from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, for a St. John weather report.
He said that some people like making as many contacts as possible in a given space of time. They get to show their stuff every June when amateur radio operators around the world spend Field Day weekend competing to see how many contacts they can make.
"It's the beginning of hurricane season. It's our warm-up to make sure everything is in working order," Jordan said.
Jordan said the group got started more than two decades ago when he learned that the late Bill Lomax, who served as St. John administrator, was an amateur radio operator. The two joined forces after the St. Thomas club urged them to form their own organization.
The group, like their counterparts around the world, operates on acronyms. For example, ARES stands for Amateur Radio Emergency Service, a national group whose goal is to provide back-up radio communications when needed. St. John Amateur Radio Club members belong to this group.
Then there's ARRL, the American Radio Relay League, a non-profit organization that represents U.S. amateur radio operators in government and public relations matters.
And of course, each amateur radio operator has call letters, an alphabet soup that serves as identification.
The club alternates Saturday meetings between the Donkey Diner in Coral Bay and the Inn at Tamarind Court restaurant in Cruz Bay. All begin at 9 a.m.
Call Jordan at 513-3703 for more information.
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