WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Are you fairly proficient in social media? How do you feel about “retro tech”? Would you be interested in a communication channel that has no politics, little drama and may be the original social network?  If so, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Auxiliary Communication Service (ACS) has an offer for you. A course to help you get licensed as a Ham radio operator.

For those unfamiliar with what Ham radio offers, it can:

• Communicate over long distances – without the internet or cell towers
• Provide a direct line of communication in an emergency or when other systems fail
• Enable operators to offer vital assistance during community disasters
• Create friendships around the block or around the world
• Become a hobby one can enjoy for a lifetime

At the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) Division of Emergency Management, Ham radio volunteers practice for emergency situations by establishing radio nets, practice report-generation for Incident Command and state officials, conduct drills and ensure equipment is functional and ready for deployment.

Some volunteers support popular community events such as the annual Ski to Sea race or the airport’s Triennial Exercise, while others detected jamming devices and investigated communication vulnerabilities in the year leading up to World Cup.

For those with interest and basic aptitude, it’s a straightforward path to become FCC-licensed as a radio operator. The sheriff’s office ACS offers classes throughout the year and hosts monthly opportunities to test for FCC Technician, General or Extra Class license.

This year’s training – for those interested in learning more about ham radio and testing to become licensed – will be delivered over five Monday evenings, from 6 to 8 p.m., starting Oct. 5,  at the Emergency Operations Center at 3888 Sound Way in Bellingham. Contact Robert Greene (rgreene@co.whatcom.wa.us), Whatcom County’s Public Safety Communications Manager, to register or learn more.

 

Amy Cloud is the Public Information Officer (PIO) for the Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management.  She was born and raised locally, leaving for Whitman College and work in Seattle, Knoxville and Washington, D.C. She returned to work as Supervising News Producer and reporter for KVOS-TV’s NewsView before switching to communications for WWU, PeaceHealth and the City of Bellingham. She also co-chairs the Community PIO Group and is a member of the Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues.