Masonic Amateur Radio Club demonstrates amateur radio hobby in Great Falls

GREAT FALLS — On July 4, the Masonic Amateur Radio Club gathered downtown to show their passion for amateur radio. The goal of the event was to raise public awareness of amateur radio and its opportunities.

Keith Head, President of the Masonic Amateur Radio Club, explained the origins and goals of the club: “We started this last year. This is a fairly new club. We’ve only been around for a little over a year, about a year and a half. So we’re just doing this to promote public awareness of amateur radio.”

The demonstration coincided with a special event where club members were able to network with radio enthusiasts from the original 13 colonies as well as from France and Great Britain.

Keith Head explained the event as follows: “Radio amateurs from all over the country are trying to make contact with other radio amateurs who are named in the original 13 colonies. They also have two or three additional ones, including one in Great Britain and one in France.”

Amateur radio is not an ordinary hobby. Radio operators can communicate with people across the country and the world, even in space.

Keith Head reported on his recent experiences: “It all depends on the atmosphere, as radio waves bounce off the atmosphere. Only two days ago I made radio contact in Antarctica.”

John Ross, vice president of the Masonic Amateur Radio Club, highlighted the innovative aspects of the hobby: “My radio is connected to a homemade battery and I have attached a solar panel to it. This particular configuration can run for hours.”

Keith Head also pointed out the sophisticated techniques used by some operators: “There are people who make contacts by sending radio waves from the moon back to Earth. It’s a very interesting hobby.”

James Rolin

A federal license is required to become a full member of the club, but membership in the Masonic organization is not required. The club welcomes anyone interested in amateur radio.

Keith Head explained the club’s activities: “We meet twice a month, on the second Saturday for the amateur radio license test and on the fourth Saturday for our general meeting.”

John Ross expressed his enthusiasm for making long-distance contacts: “Every time you make a contact, it’s amazing – depending on where the person is – to be able to communicate over so many watts with someone in another part of the country or the world.”

The Masonic Amateur Radio Club’s July 4th event was a testament to the reach and fascination of amateur radio and encouraged more people to explore this unique and far-reaching hobby.

For more information on licensing, visit www.arrl.org. Click here to visit the Masonic Radio Club Facebook page.