No, I’m not talking about the person who photo-bombs every photo or monopolizes every conversation. I’m talking about a ham (amateur) radio operator. It’s quite possible there is a ham in your family tree. Maybe someone who has passed but maybe someone who hasn’t, too.
This past weekend was the annual Field Day event for amateur radio operators. Field Day is a contest to make as many contacts as possible and to practice operating under less than optimal conditions. For more information about Field Day, click here: Field Day and search for ‘field day’
Skills are practiced and used, too, when hams help with events like marathons and parades, or when they participate in exhibits at fairs or museums. Keeping these skills honed ensures hams are ready when our modern communication systems go down like in times of natural or man-made disasters.
There are several hams in my family. My husband and I are both hams, as well as both of our children. My husband is always proud to share with other hams that he has an all-ham family! His father is a ham, and his late grandfather was one, too.
My daughter was able to change her assigned amateur call sign to that of her great-grandfather, a man she’s never met. Still, she feels like she knows him from all she’s heard about him. We’ve been keeping him alive through stories and photos.
Back to your family. Ham radio operators were trained as communication personnel by all branches of the military during WW2. Each branch maintained training schools, and the government actively sought out amateur radio operators because of the skills they already had. It was easy to find them, too, since hams carry a federal license to operate an amateur radio.
The links below may help you as you search for records and details about amateur radio and your ham relatives, details that will add depth to your family history.
ARRL: The National Association for Amateur Radio
Little Known Story of the Coast Guard in WW2
Army Air Forces.com of World War II
For each of the following resources, do a search for ‘radio’ to get the record number(s).
Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel
Records of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)
Records of the Army Air Forces (AAF)
Records of the United States Marine Corps
Are you or someone in your family tree a ham?
Copyright © 2014 Nancy H. Vest All Rights Reserved
Hi Nancy, Keith (WB2VUO) here in Amherst, NY.
I operated Field Day this last weekend with the N2U special event station in Orleans County on the shores of Lake Ontario. We had 10 operators there and ran 6A class.
The Yaesu (FT-897) you have pictured is the base version of my mobile, the FT-857D. We ran my 857 along with the FT-817nd portable for two of our stations.
My wife, Anne, is also licensed, she’s WB1GVL. My brother John is KB2SIL near Syracuse, NY and my brother-in-law was KB2SYU in the Watertown area but has let his callsign and license lapse…
Interesting to see a picture I had commented on over here. 73 to all, Keith, WB2VUO
Thanks for replying, Keith. You have a lot of hams in your family, too, I see! I am KE4SHX. I did not participate in Field Day this year, though my husband, Jim (AC4RF) and one daughter did, Katie (WA4QVI). It has become a daddy-daughter event for them. We have been doing Field Day from home for the past few years. Over 130 contacts including someone in Russia. Not bad for a home station! How many contacts did you group make?
I have to ask…are you in Northern NY? That’s a place that we never seem to get any contacts from. Jim said he didn’t recognize your call sign from Field Day, also.
Hi again Nancy, Keith here in Amherst.
Sorry to take so long to reply. Amherst is in the ARRL’s WNY section, just outside of Buffalo. I am a volunteer in the section Field Organization (Tech Coordinator) and have been on the air for 49 years so far.
I am mostly on digital modes (QRP) and SSB on the high bands, 15/12/10/6 Meters.
73, Keith, WB2VUO, TC – ARRL WNY Section
Amherst, NY: Grid FN02ox