Shelby hamfrst 2018

Before cellphones linked everyone in the world at the push of a button, people were making connections using amateur radios.

That hobby still exists today and for one group in Shelby has become a conduit to bettering their community.

For more than 60 years, the Shelby Amateur Radio Club has been hosting monthly meetings for ham radio users. The club operates six analog repeaters and a packet station for operators to use to communicate.

“It’s a fun hobby, and it’s an important one for community safety,” said Ben Melvin, with the Shelby Amateur Radio Club. “If there’s an emergency in the area and emergency services can’t use their radios, they are able to use ours.”

There has only been one such emergency in Cleveland County that Melvin

http://www.shelbystar.com/news/20180829/shelby-amateur-radio-club-to-host-hamfest

Southern ohio amateur radio association

SCOTTOWN, Ohio — People who appreciate the engineering of days of old should mark Aug. 18 on their calendars.

That's when the Southern Ohio Amateur Radio Association will set up their gear on the historical covered bridge at Scottown, Ohio, and contact other hams around Ohio and the world, all without using any electricity.

"The special event station will mimic emergency conditions which would be used when there is a total communications failure of commercial power, telephone, commercial radio, television, cell phone, and web access," Eddie Jenkins, the Lawrence County Ohio Amateur Radio Emergency Service 

More in the link

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/ohio_news/hams-to-broadcast-from-the-scottown-covered-bridge-during-special/article_6f421c49-8f42-515c-a9bb-56e6c558e859.html