Radio amateurs show their skills

Bayou Vista resident Danny Peterson’s family has embraced ham radio.
Peterson used to be involved in ham radio and has taken up the hobby again.
His son, Daniel Peterson, who has a doctorate in electrical engineering and works for Verizon in Texas, learned ham radio through Bayouland Emergency Amateur Radio Service.
Now, Danny Peterson’s grandson, Grant, has embraced the hobby.
Saturday, Danny Peterson gathered at the old Whitney Bank building in Morgan City, where BEARS, along with other ham radio operators across the country, were holding their annual field day.
While Peterson wasn’t able to talk to his grandson due to communication issues — Grant Peterson radioed in via a cellphone app in a moving car — he was able to hear his grandson.
He was just one of some of the people who BEARS had talked with.
While ham radio is a hobby at the moment, it can be a useful tool during times of emergencies when other forms of communication are down.
As soon as winds dissipate after inclement weather, ham radio operators can begin using a frequency.
“We can take a piece of wire, throw it across a tree or anything else, and in five minutes, we can be back on the air,” BEARS President Jackie Price said.
Saturday’s field day, held annually across the United States, was a way to test equipment.
While there were some issues with bandwidth, the equipment worked well, Price said.
In the event of an evacuation of St. Mary Parish and other forms of communication are down, ham radio operators — in coordination with the Salvation Army — will be able to provide communications about the status of Morgan City to those still far away. If the situation arises, Price said that those wishing to find out information should visit the Salvation Army’s website at www.satern.org and fill out a form that includes a comment section where people can write down what information they would like to know about their home towns after a disaster.
They also need to include the following information: Radio Call — W5BMC; IRLP Node 3670 and Echolink W5BMC-R Node 507010.
Using that information, the Salvation Army will contact BEARS via ham radio and get answers for those away from Morgan City before turning around and contacting those requesting the information via contact info they gave on the form.
“It’s kind of antiquated when you think, ‘Aww, man, I’ll just pull out a cellphone. Why am I doing all of this?’ Well, you’re doing this because the cellphone isn’t working,” Price said. “There’s no tower (working).”
For those who stay in town, they could stop by the BEARS’ headquarters at the old Whitney Bank Building at 201 Everett St. in Morgan City or call them at 985-702-9889 or 985-397-3447 or via cell phone at 985-326-1270 for information.
For anyone interested in joining BEARS, contact Price at The Frame Shop at 985-385-0730 or come to one of the group’s club meetings, held on the second Wednesday of each month.