{"id":2090091,"date":"2023-11-04T13:36:03","date_gmt":"2023-11-04T17:36:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/amateur-radio-enthusiasts-gather-at-the-ham-radio-convention-pacificon\/"},"modified":"2023-11-04T13:41:16","modified_gmt":"2023-11-04T17:41:16","slug":"amateur-radio-enthusiasts-gather-at-the-ham-radio-convention-pacificon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/amateur-radio-enthusiasts-gather-at-the-ham-radio-convention-pacificon\/","title":{"rendered":"Ham radio enthusiasts meet at Pacificon, a convention for amateur radio."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Famateur-radio-enthusiasts-gather-at-the-ham-radio-convention-pacificon%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2090091&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Amateur Radio Convention \u2062&#8221;Pacificon&#8221; Draws Over 1,100 \u200cEnthusiasts<\/h2>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n  <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<p>    More than 1,100 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/emfs-a-possible-human-carcinogen-linked-to-brain-and-breast-cancer-leukemia\/\" title=\"EMFs linked to cancer: Brain, breast, leukemia.\">amateur radio operators<\/a>, also known as hams, gathered at the Marriott Hotel in \u2064San Ramon, California for the annual Pacificon convention from Oct. 20-22. This three-day event showcased all things amateur\u200b radio, including forum presentations, license classes, nonprofit organization booths, kit building, and even a\u200c fox hunt. The forums covered a wide range of topics, \u2063from beginner&#8217;s\u2064 guides to building remote ham radio sites. It was a thrilling gathering of radio enthusiasts\u200d from around the world.<br \/>\n  <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>\n<p>      The Annual \u200cAmateur \u2063Radio Conference &#8220;Pacificon&#8221; in\u2063 San Ramon, Calif., on Oct. 21, 2023. (Helen \u2063Billings\/The Epoch Times)<br \/>\n  \u2062<br \/>\n    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Youngest Ham \u200cand Twin Girls Awarded Radios<\/h3>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n  <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<p>    On\u200c the second day \u2063of\u200c Pacificon, a radio was awarded to the \u2063youngest ham who passed the technician exam. Additionally, twin 11-year-old girls from \u2063Napa received radios after passing their\u200c technician exams. Their proud father, Nik,\u2062 accompanied them to the event. It was a special moment\u200c to celebrate the achievements of these young radio enthusiasts.<br \/>\n  <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n  <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<p>    According to the website &#8220;Ham Radio \u200bDeluxe,&#8221; amateur radio is both a service and a \u200dhobby that connects individuals worldwide through \u200dwireless communication. Licensed operators use a variety of radios\u2064 to\u2062 communicate with other hams across the globe. From handheld models to \u200bdashboard mounts \u2064and remote\u200d shacks, the possibilities are endless.<br \/>\n  <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n  <!--$--><\/p>\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\" id=\"in_article_related_stories\">\n<h2 class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-4 sm:line-clamp-3\">\n          <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/exclusive-police-radio-tapes-reveal-orders-to-use-force-on-early-jan-6-crowd-5465519?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"text-sm sm:text-base\">EXCLUSIVE: Jan. 6 Police Radio Tapes Reveal Orders to Use Force \u2063on Early \u200cCrowd<\/h3>\n<p>          <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">8\/16\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[70px] sm:basis-[120px]\">\n        <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/exclusive-police-radio-tapes-reveal-orders-to-use-force-on-early-jan-6-crowd-5465519?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">\n          <picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" https:><\/source><source type=\"image\/jpeg\" https:><\/source>\n          <\/picture>\n        <\/a>\n      <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-4 sm:line-clamp-3\">\n          <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/the-old-maid-and-the-thief-1939-a-clever-radio-opera-5428211?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"text-sm sm:text-base\">\u2018The Old\u200b Maid and the Thief\u2019 (1939): A Clever Radio Opera<\/h3>\n<p>          <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">7\/27\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[70px] sm:basis-[120px]\">\n        <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/the-old-maid-and-the-thief-1939-a-clever-radio-opera-5428211?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">\n          <picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" https:><\/source><source type=\"image\/jpeg\" https:><\/source>\n          <\/picture>\n        <\/a>\n      <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <!--\/$-->\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:450px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>\n<p>      Kristen McIntyre, \u2062call sign K6WX, the\u2063 Pacific Division \u200cDirector of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), at the Annual Amateur Radio Conference &#8220;Pacificon&#8221; in San \u200bRamon, Calif., on Oct. 21, 2023. (Helen \u2063Billings\/The Epoch \u200dTimes)<br \/>\n    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Amateur\u2064 Radio\u200b Licensing and Privileges<\/h3>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n  <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<p>    Kristen McIntyre, the Pacific Division Director of the American \u2063Radio Relay League (ARRL), explained that amateur radio \u2063licensing has three levels: technician, general, and\u200d extra class licenses. Each <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/amateur-radio-enthusiasts-gather-at-the-ham-radio-convention-pacificon\/\" title=\"Ham radio enthusiasts meet at Pacificon, a convention for amateur radio.\">license \u200bclass grants additional operating privileges<\/a>, allowing hams to explore and communicate further.<br \/>\n \u200b<br \/>\n  <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n  <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<p>    According to FCC rules, licensed operators are required to state their call \u200csign every 10 minutes during transmission and at the \u2063end of their communication. Call signs are like names for \u200bhams,\u200d and they \u200ctake great pride in them.<br \/>\n  <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>\n<p>      \u200b   Handheld ham radios at the Annual \u2063Amateur Radio Conference &#8220;Pacificon&#8221; in San Ramon, Calif., on Oct. 21,\u2064 2023. (Keegan Billings\/The Epoch Times)<br \/>\n \u2063  \u2064<br \/>\n    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Amateur Radio in Emergencies and Beyond<\/h3>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n  <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<p>    While ham\u2063 radio\u200c is not used by police and fire departments, they often collaborate with\u2064 emergency communications groups \u2063composed of amateur radio operators. These operators possess the expertise and\u2062 equipment necessary for effective communication during emergencies. In instances like the Lahaina wildfire in Hawaii and\u200d Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Florida, amateur radio provided the only\u2062 means of communication when other infrastructure was\u2064 destroyed.<br \/>\n \u200b<br \/>\n  <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n  <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<p>    It is highly recommended for individuals to\u200d obtain a ham radio\u2063 license and \u2062keep a radio in their emergency supply kit at \u2062home. \u2063The \u2064versatility and reliability of ham radio make it an invaluable\u200c tool in times of crisis.<br \/>\n\u200d<br \/>\n  <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n  <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<p>    Ham radio enthusiasts like Bob Wolbert, \u200bcall sign K6XX, emphasize\u2064 the ability to communicate without relying on\u200b the internet\u200d or electricity. With battery-powered radios, hams can connect with people thousands of miles away, making ham radio\u200d a valuable asset for preparedness.<br \/>\n  <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>\n<p>      \u2062  \u200c   Amateur radio equipment on display at the Annual Amateur Radio\u200c Conference &#8220;Pacificon&#8221; in \u2063San Ramon, Calif., on Oct. 21, 2023. (Helen Billings\/The Epoch\u200b Times)<br \/>\n    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Ham Radio: A Journey of Exploration and Connection<\/h3>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n  <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<p>    \u200c  Joe Eisenberg, a ham radio enthusiast and\u200c writer for CQ Amateur Radio,\u200d shared the origin of the term &#8220;ham.&#8221; It\u2062 derived from the\u200c amateur actors in vaudeville, who were called &#8220;ham actors.&#8221; The name\u200b stuck and became synonymous\u2063 with amateur radio.<br \/>\n  <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n  <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<p>    Eisenberg explained how amateur radio\u2062 operators\u200b played \u200da crucial role in advancing technology. By pushing amateurs to\u2062 higher frequencies, they discovered the\u2063 ability of radio waves to\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fox-cancels-celebrity-studded-new-years-toast-roast-special-over-covid-19-spike\/\" title=\"FOX Cancels Celebrity Studded New Year\u2019s \u2018Toast &#038; Roast\u2019 Special over COVID-19 Spike\">travel long distances<\/a>. This led to important innovations that continue to shape the field today.<br \/>\n\u2063  \u2064<br \/>\n  <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>\n<p>      \u200c      Amateur radio equipment on display at the Annual Amateur\u200d Radio Conference\u2064 &#8220;Pacificon&#8221; \u2064in \u200dSan Ramon, Calif., on Oct. 21, 2023. (Helen Billings\/The \u2062Epoch Times)<br \/>\n    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h3>The Power of Morse Code and \u2063the Ham Community<\/h3>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n  <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<p>    Jim Crites and Bob Leichner, members of the Long Island CW Club\u2014Teachers of Morse Code, highlighted the importance of Morse code \u200bin ham radio. They\u2064 offer classes to teach Morse code from scratch, helping\u200d individuals\u200d develop\u200b their skills and\u200b increase their\u200b speed.<br \/>\n  <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n  <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<p>    \u2062 Roland Williams, another member of the club, emphasized the mental challenge and benefits of learning Morse code. It exercises the brain and keeps the mind sharp, making\u200b it an ideal activity for individuals seeking mental stimulation.<br \/>\n  <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>\n<p>      Morse code equipment at the Annual Amateur Radio \u2063Conference &#8220;Pacificon&#8221; in San Ramon, Calif., on \u2064Oct. 21, 2023. (Helen Billings\/The Epoch Times)<br \/>\n    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Connecting the World Through Ham Radio<\/h3>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n  <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<p>    \u2064Ham radio enthusiasts\u2062 cherish the ability to\u200d connect with \u2062people\u2062 worldwide. They consider ham radio as the &#8220;first\u2063 social media,&#8221; providing \u2063a\u200b unique platform for on-air meetings\u2064 and conversations. It\u200d fosters international goodwill and friendship, \u2064transcending political and cultural boundaries.<br \/>\n  <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n  <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<p>    The Long Island \u200cCW Club also \u200boffers innovative solutions, such as a haptics\u200b device for \u200dthe deaf and hard of hearing, \u2062allowing them to decipher \u2064Morse code through vibrations\u200d and\u2064 lights. They strive to make ham \u200dradio accessible to all.<br \/>\n  <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>\n<p>      \u200d      A \u200blight-up and vibrating device for delivering CW (Morse code) to the deaf \u200cand hard\u200c of hearing, at the Annual Amateur Radio Conference \u200b&#8221;Pacificon&#8221; in \u200cSan Ramon, Calif., on Oct. 21, 2023. (Helen Billings\/The\u200b Epoch Times)<br \/>\n  \u2063  \u200c<br \/>\n    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n  <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<p>    \u2062Ham radio is a fascinating world of exploration, connection, and innovation. It continues to captivate\u200c enthusiasts of all \u2062ages, offering \u2062endless \u2064possibilities for communication and community.<br \/>\n  <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> \u200bCan you explain the significance of the kit building activity and the fox hunt\u200b in the context of \u2063amateur radio<\/h2>\n<p><span>  ><figcaption>\n<p>      Amateur \u200bradio \u2062operators listen for signals during the Pacificon convention. (Helen Billings\/The Epoch Times)<\/p>\n<p>  \u2062 \u2062<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h3>A Welcoming and Educational Environment<\/h3>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>  <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<p>    \u200b  The Pacificon convention provided a welcoming and educational \u2064environment for both experienced and novice\u2062 amateur radio operators. Participants had the opportunity to \u2064learn from industry experts, ask questions, and share their\u200d own experiences. The convention also featured\u2064 license classes for\u200c those interested in becoming licensed operators.<\/p>\n<p>  <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>  <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<p>    \u200b   Nonprofit organizations set up booths to showcase their initiatives and \u200bprovide information to attendees. These organizations included the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), which promotes amateur radio and supports \u200dradio operators\u200c in emergency communications, and \u2063the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB), a national organization dedicated to promoting and supporting amateur radio enthusiasts in the UK.<\/p>\n<p>  <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Kit\u2063 Building and Fox Hunt<\/h3>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>  <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<p>    \u200b   One of the highlights of Pacificon was the kit building activity. Participants could purchase and assemble kits for various amateur radio\u200b projects, such as transmitters and receivers. This hands-on experience allowed attendees to dive deeper into the technical aspects of amateur radio and enhance their skills.<\/p>\n<p>  <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>  <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<p>    \u2064   Another exciting\u200d event was the fox hunt, a \u2062classic amateur radio activity where participants<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Over 1,100 hams gathered at San Ramon&#8217;s Marriott Hotel for Pacificon, the annual amateur radio convention. From Oct. 20-22, attendees enjoyed forum presentations, license classes and testing, nonprofit organization booths, and various ham radio activities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2090092,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2090091","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2090091","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2090091"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2090091\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2090092"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2090091"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2090091"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2090091"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}