The Trident Amateur Radio Club is awarded a Public Service Grant for tri-county Emergency Communications and Youth Educational Outreach
Amateur Radio (ham radio) is a popular hobby and service that brings people, electronics and communication together. People use ham radio to talk across town, around the world, or even into space, all without the Internet or cell phones. It’s fun, social, educational, and can be a lifeline during times of need. As such, the Trident Amateur Radio Club, a non-profit in North Charleston, is dedicated to helping newly licensed and experienced amateurs get active and participate in ham related activities. Since 1973, the club’s mission is to get new and old hams on the air and stay “radio-active” by having operating events like summer and winter Field Days, Special Event Stations, Parks-On-The-Air events, Operating Days, etc.
On December 21, TARC received a club grant for $21,718 from the American Radio Relay League, a noncommercial organization of radio amateurs. ARRL numbers within its ranks the vast majority of active radio amateurs in the nation and has a proud history of achievement as the standard-bearer in amateur affairs. ARRL’s underpinnings as Amateur Radio’s witness, partner and forum are defined by five pillars: Public Service, Advocacy, Education, Technology, and Membership. The Trident Amateur Radio Club is an official ARRL Affiliated Club.
This ARRL club grant project shall create a transformative impact for the community, especially those who are underserved, to become active in Amateur Radio. It shall raise awareness that ham radio is beneficial to the community, and not just a hobby, particularly in times of emergencies, such as we have seen when phone, and even internet, are potentially affected.
Linda Selleck, Emergency Coordinator for the Berkeley County Amateur Radio Emergency Service stated “The availability of Emergency Communications is essential to assist first responders and provide shelter for those impacted in the tri-county consisting of over 800,000 residents. We welcome the invitation from TARC to make their Mobile Ham Radio Station available to ARES to support our tri-county Emergency Communications response.”
In addition, the grant project shall provide significant educational and training impact in our local schools and communities, and create greater public awareness and support for Amateur Radio. It shall attract and retain students in STEM-related disciplines through the introduction of Amateur Radio activities, principles, and operations. Finally, this project shall empower teachers with the necessary knowledge to integrate Amateur Radio theory as it applies to the mathematical, scientific, and technical concepts learned in the classroom.
Click here to see the grant application.
For more information about the Trident Amateur Radio Club, The ARRL or Amateur Radio please contact us at n4ee@tridenthams.org