Amateur radio club to host free classes

The Wahkiakum County Amateur Radio Club (callsign: N7WAH) is hosting a class to help folks learn about Amateur Radio, Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services, and to prepare for the FCC Technician test. The club welcomes all interested citizens. As folks who attended the recent Job Fair at WHS learned, amateur radio operators (aka "Hams") help with local emergency services, contact others around the globe, experiment with cutting technologies before they become public, and gain useful job skills and connections.

The first night of the class, May 4, 7:00 p.m., in the WHS Tech Room, will be informational then they will get right into the coursework for the next week. The class meetings are every Thursday evening, 7-8:30 p.m., through June 8. The last class will be a review for the test. The classes are free but participants must have access to an ARRL Technician License Manual. The club has placed 10 copies in the Cathlamet Library for public check-out.

Subjects covered will be: Radio and Signals Fundamentals; Electricity, Components, and Circuits; Propagation; Antennas and Feed Lines; Amateur Radio Equipment; Communicating With Other Hams; Licensing Regulations; Emergency Services; Operating Regulations; Safety.

To sign up, contact Ron at w7eryron@gmail.com or sign up on the website at: https://wahkiakumdraftamateurradio.wordpress.com/ or, people are welcome to just drop in on the first night of the class and make up their mind at that time.

This Saturday the 4-H will host an informational fair at the Fairgrounds, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. N7WAH will be there with operating Ham stations and the county emergency communications vehicle.