Amateur radio fans in Utica area keep beloved international hobby on the air
To some, amateur radio is more than a hobby.
To them, it’s a skill set honed to connect with everyone far and wide — from their home community to other continents.
Amateur radio clubs exist across the world.
Amateur radio operators are licensed individuals who use radio frequency equipment to exchange messages and information.
The Utica Amateur Radio Club, founded in 1935, has around 30 members currently and meets monthly.
Ed Kobos, president of the UARC, is a resident of New Hartford who’s been a member since 1974 and took the role of president around 2017.
“Amateur radio had its heyday during the ’70s and ’80s, thanks to propagation of signals and it being the time before cell phones,” Kobos said.
“A lot more people got involved. We had hundreds of members when General Electric and Griffiss were around in our heyday.”
Kobos said his enjoyment of talking with people – be it in his backyard or on the other side of the world – is what has led him to be a club member for so long.
Talking to others
Kobos started listening on shortwave radios on the AM band before expanding his reach to the world. After getting comfortable, Kobos finally reached out and spoke with people.
These were normal conversations about nothing important, or “ragchewing,” that became something Kobos looked forward to when firing up his set-up.
Just recently, he had a conversation with a person on Prince Edward Island in Canada for over two hours. “We talked a lot about weather, the snow and radios,” he said.
“But I’ve talked to some 200 people from across the world, from Antarctica to Australia and everything in Europe and Africa.”
While some people pine to see the world, Kobos and many amateur radio operators like him have visited with people worldwide, exchanging pictures and memories along the way.
Community involvement
The club has close involvement with the Boilermaker, serving as the eyes and ears of the race, relaying information about runners and their condition when required.
Bud Berthold, a resident of Utica and a member of 75 years, said he chaired the Boilermaker Communication Group with 40 operators at different points all through the race.
“Cell phones are fine, but that’s between one person,” Berthold explained. “The radio operators provide such a successful health and welfare coverage of the race activities.”
Should a runner fall out of the race for whatever reason and end up at the medical tent, radio operators can quickly and accurately relay that information to race officials and loved ones on standby, was cited as an example of help provided during the race.
Berthold said a big part of amateur radio is community support and involvement. And this is exemplified by the Amateur Radio Club’s Field Day. Just recently, the UARC had its Field Day at Baggs Square on Broad Street in Utica, with the goal of contacting as many stations as possible.
This is to simulate an event like a natural disaster and ensure they can operate their equipment in lessthan-ideal situations — just to maintain the flow of information and communication should the worst happen.
“Public service, I’d say, is our immediate priority,” Berthold said. “Nine times out of 10, the amateur radio operator is up on the air before the military or the civil services. And to me, that’s what makes it a beautiful hobby.”
“I’ve talked to some 200 people from across the world, from Antarctica to Australia and everything in Europe and Africa.” Ed Kobos President of the Utica Amateur Radio Club