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By Norm Fusaro, W3IZ
ARRL Affiliated Club/Mentor Program Manager
August 20, 2004
Hurricane Charley's devastation throughout Florida has been seen on all of the news channels and people have been pitching in wherever they could to help out. Two young hams have volunteered their help at the Amateur Radio station set up at the emergency command center in Venice, Florida. Courtney Rauch, KI4AMB and her brother Robert (RJ), KI4AMA have been helping pass messages to and from the disaster area via ham radio all this week and plan on continuing helping out through out the next week.
The storm, with winds over 115 MPH, ripped through West Central Florida causing billions of dollars in damage and at least 21 deaths. As people dealt with the aftermath of this killer hurricane many Amateur Radio operators put their training into action and helped establish communications from the devastated area.
Ham radio is almost a right of passage for these two youngsters. Last year at age 13, Courtney and her then 14 year old brother, RJ, attended an Amateur Radio license class given by the Englewood Amateur Radio Society in Englewood, Florida and earned the callsigns KI4AMB and KI4AMA. This was great news that would thrill any teenager and their family. The good news was then relayed to their father and grandfather who were attending the Hamvention ® in Dayton, Ohio. Fantastic! This meant one thing; grandpa would have to buy them each a new radio.
You see, this is a long standing promise their grandfather, Jim Reeves, WA7RVV, made to everyone in his family; if anyone in the family gets their Amateur Radio license the patriarch would buy them their first radio. This is something that Courtney and RJ's father, Keith Herve, learned shortly after marrying into the family. While living in Alaska with his wife Eva, KL0LV, Keith called Jim and asked him if he had a radio for WL7CKY. That was Keith's new call.
Jim Reeves and his wife, Ann, WA7ROS, have created a ham radio dynasty. All of their children and their spouses are licensed as well as all of their grandchildren over the age of 13. This includes their only married grandchild's spouse as well. "She had to get a license to marry into the family." quips Jim. Licenses range from Technician to Amateur Extra.
In addition to teaching Amateur Radio licensing classes like the one that Courtney and her brother attended, Englewood ARS is active in the community by providing communications at many public events including the annual Pioneer Day Parade which is held on Labor Day.
The group has a lot of fun at Field Day but they also use it as a real training exercise. Members of EARS are always at the ready to provide communication whenever Florida is a victim of hurricanes or other disasters. One of these times was when the area had an astonishing 16 inches of rainfall in one afternoon flooding streets, homes and businesses and closing highways. The telephone systems were either completely down or severely crippled and parents were unable to get information about their children who were stranded in schools. Members of the Englewood ARS quickly set up equipment and established communications to get this information to the parents and help coordinate the transportation of the students.
Right now members of EARS are busy at several locations helping with the affects of Charley. The club is always ready and willing to help the community.
 New ham Courtney Rauch, KI4AMB, working 6m with her dad, Keith Herve, WL7CKY. |
Because of the family exposure to ham radio Courtney's interest goes back as long as she can remember. Courtney says that she enjoys talking to family and friends on 2 meters and listens in when her dad works HF. Although she says that she is still a bit shy when it comes to talking to strangers, she has had QSOs with her grandpa on HF while her dad acted as control operator. She enjoys Field Day and worked a number of QSOs on 6 meters this year. A sophomore in high school, Courtney is planning a career in technology but hasn't narrowed her field yet. She says, "Ham radio has helped me in school because I have learned about the ionosphere, propagation, and electrical circuits."
The family likes to travel around the country and they have started using APRS (Automatic Position Reporting System) to track each other. Keith says, "The entire family is hooked on APRS." Keith has even put together a program on APRS and gives presentations at club meetings.
 ARRL is committed to support Affiliated Clubs in their efforts to mentor new hams. [Full Story] |
Jim says that all through Charley's impact he has received regular updates on the family via ham radio. Although his grandchildren's school was not damaged, two other schools in the area were destroyed and will delay the opening of the school year by several weeks.
Carrying on in the family tradition, Keith is willing to mentor anyone that has an interest in ham radio and is always willing to help get young people on the air. Keith's time spent as a US Air Force pilot helped prepare him for Amateur Radio but he realizes that youngsters like Courtney and RJ need a mentor to help them learn how to be good operators.
The fourteen callsigns of the family are:
WA7RVV, WA7ROS, KD7CLM, KL0LV, WL7CKY, KI4AMA, KI4AMB, N3JGI, N3QGI, N3ZIX, KD7RLI, KD7LNG, N7QXO, N7QXM
