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Communications check

Kim Fundingsland/MDN Doug “W7MEX” Shearer, left, and John “AB0KZ” Kinkade, both from Minot, were among members of the Souris Valley Amateur Radio Club who participated in an emergency preparedness exercise on Minot’s North Hill Saturday.

They are called amateur radio operators but the monicker is somewhat misleading. Members of the Souris Valley Amateur Radio Club were engaged in a professional process Saturday, practicing setting up and restoring communications should they need to do so in the event of an emergency.

“We do this once a year. It’s a field exercise so everybody can test out their readiness to operate remotely,” said Dan Roberts, club member.

Roberts’ call sign is KK3MM. Such designations are used when sending or receiving conversations with other amateur radio operators. Inside one of two communications trailers used for the exercise, Fred “W0FOB” Brooks, Minot, and Doug “W7MEX” Shearer, Minot, were operating radio equipment and making contact with whomever would respond. Answers came from fellow amateur radio operators in Illinois and California in the span of a few minutes. Earlier communications came from Canada, Puerto Rico and several U.S. locations from coast to coast.

“This is Honolulu, America, India, Delta, Dawn in San Diego,” said one responder on the radio.

While one emergency communications trailer was operating on sideband, or telephone, the other was not. The second trailer operated with Morse Code, explained Roberts.

Morse Code is a signal system using a series of dots and dashes representing letters of the alphabet. The trailer Roberts was referring to was a Ward County Emergency Management trailer. The other communications trailer is the property of the Souris Valley Amateur Radio Club. Two large antennas were also in use.

“It is a 24-hour exercise to test equipment and test skills,” said Roberts. “Also fix-it skills.”

Also on site near the North Hill Complex softball diamonds Saturday was Millo “KE0AOO” Wallace, club president. Wallace took a turn cooking over an outdoor grill, helping feed other participants in the exercise. There are about 30 active members in the Souris Valley Amateur Radio Club.

The club is affiliated with the Amateur Radio Relay League, or ARRL. All operations by amateur radio operators are on London, or Greenwich time, which is approximately five hours later than Minot’s Central Time Zone. By using Greenwich time amateur radio operators across the globe have a common reference. The exercise is scheduled to continue until 4 p.m. Minot time today.

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