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 Previous: ARRL In Action: What Have We Been Up To Lately? |  Next: Surfin': Sixteen Thousand Cards and Counting |
Marjorie Hill Nickisch
January 2, 2008
Hams in the spotlight at America’s center.
When the US Coast and Geodetic Survey designated Belle Fourche, South Dakota, as the official "Geographic Center of the Nation," hams of the Millstone Amateur Radio Society, located in the northern Black Hills, saw that as a very special Special Event. They fairly jumped at the chance to publicize the affair and promote Amateur Radio at the same time.
Brian Kassel, K7RE; Craig Nickisch, W0WN, and Bob Weaver, K0GZL; coordinated the project, with the help of operators Carroll Cash, K0RXC; Graham Chesnut, WB0LIW; Bill Collister, N7MOG; Harry Irwin, KF0QB; Ryan Jennings, KC0GKF; Joanna Jones, KD7GLY; Don Matthesen, K0HP; Gene Secrest, KB0GZQ; Arne Sjomeling, K0AS, and Ray Telkamp, K0RNT.
Special Event Station N0C operated August 20-22 during the dedication of a new monument. The granite monument is situated just outside Belle Fourche's Tri-State Museum, which also serves as headquarters for the Chamber of Commerce and Tourist Information Center. With the enthusiastic support of the Chamber's director, Teresa Schanzenbach, the hams were able to publicize the local area worldwide, while at the same time they promoted the life-long hobby of Amateur Radio.
Operating
The hams set up two rigs in the Chamber offices, allowing CW, SSB and PSK31 operation. A roof mounted inverted V at right angles to a G5RV hung between nearby trees allowed operation on two HF bands simultaneously.
Propagation was far from optimal, with 20 meters the most productive band, although 40 and 75 were used as well. Additionally, a 2-meter rig offered a dozen or so VHF enthusiasts opportunities for a contact on that band. Due to several considerations, the decision was made to limit output to 100 watts on HF.
Ten operators took turns at N0C's mike, bug and keyboard for three days. Operations were generally limited to hours the offices could be open. The station actively publicized Belle Fourche as the Center of the Nation among nearly 200 US and DX amateurs. Interest was high in the colorful QSL certificate, which N0C mailed to all stations contacted without waiting for that station's QSL.
Displays
Although operating was an enjoyable facet of the Special Event, publicizing our hobby was really the most important accomplishment. Besides making QSOs, the hams of N0C set up displays for those attending the monument dedication and one of the amateurs was always available to answer questions.
Some World War II equipment and a ham station from 1959 (when Alaska and Hawaii became states, moving the center from Kansas to Belle Fourche) drew the old timers' attention, while others tried their hand at sending code. QSLs from around the world demonstrated the international aspect of our hobby and interested visitors could select from a variety of pamphlets provided by the ARRL.
Visitors
The dedication ceremony brought invited dignitaries as well as numerous visitors to the monument, and the hams invited them to visit the shack and ask questions. During the monument dedication festivities, the N0C station received over 100 visitors, including United States Senator John Thune and South Dakota's Congressional Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin. Both briefly took mike in hand, ready to surprise an unsuspecting amateur with a "Congressional QSO" ─ but, alas, without success.
One aspect of ham radio, emergency preparedness, was of special local interest. This was a real chance to show how important Amateur Radio can be, and the event coordinators kept that in mind throughout.
Memories of the 1972 flood in nearby Rapid City are still fresh. That flood claimed the lives of more than 200 people, and ham operators around the country were active in helping in that emergency.
"Our citizens certainly remember that flood and the disruption it caused in services, not to mention the tragic loss of lives," commented Mayor DavidSchneider of Belle Fourche. While at the mike, the mayor managed to chat with John, WB0VBW, who sent His Honor a special QSL.
Education Opportunities
Operation of N0C also coincided with the opening of school in Belle Fourche, so the hams, under the guidance of Professor Joanna Jones, KD7GLY, of Black Hills State University, set up “learning stations” for a visiting class of middle school students. Hams taught the students how to tap out their names in Morse code, find nations and states on maps from QSL cards, decipher small phrases such as "Talk to the world" and "Center of the Nation" in code, and observe the operators in actual QSOs at the station. When op Craig contacted Virginio, IZ5EKV, one amazed young person burst out with "Cool! This really beats e-mail."
Bob Weaver, K0GZL, a retired electronics teacher, set up a display of radio equipment and gave the students a short lesson in electricity and basic radio. Seeing their voices on an oscilloscope led some students to suspect that Bob was actually a magician. "I think we have a few future hams here," remarked Bob, with a teacher's smile. "Some of those kids were really interested and asked very good questions."
Students, and visitors as well, who participated in sending a little code received a bright certificate of completion, recognizing them as future hams. Since the event, the Millstone amateurs have planned after-school classes leading to licensing for interested students.
Publicity
Taking advantage of the monument ceremonies, ham radio was featured as a major part of the monument dedication in brochures and program handouts. Local and regional newspapers ran stories, one of them even front-page. During the event, South Dakota Public Broadcasting produced a radio program, as did National Public Radio, where the voice of Craig Nickisch, W0WN, could be heard around the nation, calling "CQ from November Zero Charlie."
Conclusion
While the fun of operating furnished a significant part of this Special Event, more importance accrued to the public relations aspect. Visitors, as well as the middle school students, took with them an increased knowledge of the role Amateur Radio plays in the areas of homeland security and community emergencies. The operators of N0C are pleased, too, at having raised some interest among future hams.
All photos courtesy of Marjorie Hill Nickisch
Marjorie Hill Nickisch, journalist and author, is the very understanding (not to say long-suffering) wife of Craig, W0WN. Through 40 and more years of marriage, she has gradually become accustomed to “those wires hanging over the house,” holes drilled through the walls and an occasional soldering iron cooling on her sewing table. Spearfish hams are happy to help her husband with an antenna or other project, usually appearing about noon, since “Saint Marge” is known for her culinary skills. In a moment of weakness, she agreed to help coordinate the Geographic Center of the Nation activities, and even write a report of the event.| Previous: ARRL In Action: What Have We Been Up To Lately? | Next: Surfin': Sixteen Thousand Cards and Counting |
