Ham Radio Club Has Global Reach During Field Day

By Stephanie Faughnan HOWELL

– Avid members of the Ocean-Monmouth Amateur Radio Club (OMARC) forged connections across the map in a thrilling 24-hour event held at Echo Lake Park.

For the third year in a row, OMARC chose Howell as the location for its Annual Field Day. The event was part of the “Amateur Radio Relay League Field Day Operation,” coordinated by the National Association for Amateur Radio. Over 40,000 ham radio operators from North America communicated from temporary transmitting stations in public areas during the same designated time period.

The gathering united a community of individuals who shared a profound passion for ham radio operations and recognized its crucial significance during times of crisis.

“Field Day is both an exercise and a contest,” explained OMARC’s president, Scott Thompson. “It’s an exercise as to what would happen if we didn’t have power or cell service.”

The contest aspect of the event focused on the primary objective of establishing communication with as many stations as possible.

County Honors Poster Contest Winners

By Alyssa Riccardi MONMOUTH COUNTY –

With nearly 200 submissions, three creative 4th graders were selected as winners of the annual ‘My County’ 2023 Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey (COANJ) poster contest.

Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners, County Surrogate Maureen T. Raisch, County Clerk Christine G. Hanlon and Sheriff Shaun

English Teacher Named Educator Of The Year

By Alyssa Riccardi

HOWELL

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In their “Staff Spotlight” series, Freehold Regional High School District recognized Lindsey Petschenik who was selected to be honored in the Monmouth County Governor’s Educator of the Year Program.

Petschenik has been teaching English at Howell High School for 13 years. She is an alumnus of the Freehold Regional High School District (Marlboro High School) and graduated from Rider University. She received a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Montclair State University.

Not only is Petschenik teaching English in her Howell High classroom, but she has been the dance team coach for the past 11 years and was a class advisor for eight years. Additionally, she served on the PLC team and the SCIP for the past two years.

When she’s not teaching her students, Petschenik is a dance teacher at Dance Attitudes of Marlboro.

After the state revealed that she was chosen as Howell’s Teacher of the Year, Petschenik said she was “in shock and felt truly honored to be this year’s recipient.”

Petschenik explained what she loves best about teaching is the students.

“It’s amazing to watch my students grow from year to year. I have the unique opportunity to teach some students for a consecutive

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Emphasizing the importance of emergency preparedness, amateur radio enthusiasts prioritize skill development to handle challenges effectively. Additionally, they strive to raise awareness among the general public about the capabilities of amateur radio.

“This little radio is picking up Portugal,” Thompson pointed out. “There’s a ham in Portugal that’s sending a signal that’s in digital format. I can enable it to try and contact and transmit back and forth.”

For many ham radio operators, pursuing their hobby is an engaging pastime and a source of immense enjoyment. Meanwhile, OMARC’s sixty members also understand the pivotal role they might play as backup communicators during times of disaster.

OMARC member Matt Capozzoli pointed out that ham radio operators played a significant role in Hurricane Katrina and then more locally when Superstorm Sandy hit New Jersey.

“When everything went out, the only people who made contact were people like us,” said Capozzoli. “We relate information to police departments and fire departments.”

Joe Kruszewski, a 20-year veteran ham, said he was initially drawn to the form of communications when he worked for New Jersey Natural Gas. As a member of the company’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Kruszewski participated in exercises with the Office of Emergency Management.

“The company had some ham radio equip- ment,” Kruszewski shared. “The guy who bought it was not licensed to use it to the full capability.”

When Kruszewski learned that no one was licensed to operate at a high frequency, he decided to study and take the test.

Unlike CB radio users who can operate their radios without formal training or licensure, ham radio operators must obtain a license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This licensing process involves passing an examination that evaluates their knowledge of radio regulations, operating procedures, and technical concepts.

“When I fi rst got my license, you also had to do Morse code in order to get your license,” shared Thompson. “Once you get your license, you’re allowed to operate on a significant amount of radio frequencies in all different formats.”

In the span of the designated 24-hour period, local hams at last weekend’s event made an impressive reach that extended across the United States, with transmissions reaching as far as Hawaii. They also established multiple contacts in Canada and connected with operators in different European countries.

While most of the connections were made from inside the building situated within the park, a couple of ham radio operators worked from a tent set up on the lake. As Morse code experts, they needed a quiet atmosphere to hear the faint “dits” and “dahs.”

The event included at least one challenge. When an electrical storm struck the area, the group decided to temporarily suspend the exercises as a precautionary measure.

“We set up antennas and operate in the rain,” Kruszewski said. “But if there’s thunder and lightning, we have to disconnect everything. A lightning bolt can hit the antennas, come right down the wires, and fry the radio and operator.”

From voice transmissions to Morse code and digital modes, ham radio operators have access to diverse communication methods. This versatility enables them to adapt to different situations, such as during emergencies when specific frequencies or modes may be more effective in transmitting vital information. During the event, OMARC members made over 1,000 total connections.

According to the National Association for Amateur Radio, licensed ham radio operators range in age from 9-100. There are no restrictions on age when it comes to licensure.

Engaging with the amateur radio community reveals a unique aspect of their communica- tion culture – instead of sharing their names, members often introduce themselves using distinct handles or call signs. For those in the United States, the FCC assigns the call signs once individuals receive license approval. A novice ham radio operator could start with a nominal investment to purchase a radio capable of short-distance communication. However, the fi rst step involves studying for the licensing exam and taking the test. There are three separate types of licenses that stay in effect for ten years. One other important consideration – the law. “There is a frequency chart of all the frequencies that a ham operator is allowed to use,” shared Kruszewski. “If you go outside of the group or go between those frequencies, you’ll have a policeman at the door along with an FCC agent.”

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Golden revealed the fi rst, second and third place winners and invited them to the most recent Commissioner meeting to display their work.

Every year, all 4th graders in Monmouth County are invited to create posters that showcase unique aspects of Monmouth County and how they relate to county government. This year, the Constitutional Officers had to choose the winners from more than 190 entries submitted by schools from across the county.

The winners of the poster contest were George Lane, fi rst place, St. Leo the Great School; Lucia Ortega, second place, St. Leo the Great School; and Kenneth Shaffer, third place, St. Benedict School.

Teacher:

Continued From Page 1 number of years, and to see them mature in so many different ways is absolutely awesome. In the same breath, I think that might be my greatest accomplishment, making connections with my students. There is no greater feeling than when a student comes back to visit. It’s truly the greatest compliment one can receive,” she said.

Petschenik provided new teachers her ‘words of wisdom’ from what she learned during her fi rst year of teaching.

“Take a breath and remember that it will all get done. Finding the time and balance between all the different parts of our job can be extremely stressful, so it’s important to keep this advice in mind because in all truth, it does all get done, even when it seems like it might not!” she said.

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“They’ll be taking your radio away and possibly giving you a $20,000 fi ne,” Kruszewski continued. “They could be sending you to jail. That’s why you take a test to learn the rules.”

Anyone interested in learning more about the world of ham radio from local aficionados can contact the Ocean Monmouth Amateur Radio Club for information at their website.

“It’s always great to meet and congratulate the talented winners of the annual ‘My County’ poster contest, since they dedicate valuable time to these creative posters,” Sheriff Golden said. “The project brings out the best in Monmouth County, and is a notable example of civic engagement, as it helps our students learn more about the great county we live in.”

Students who received honorable mention recognition were: Gabriela Ramos Romns,

Middletown Community Elementary School; Lucas Valdez-Hernandez, Avon Elementary School; Sean Kinkela, Avon Elementary School; Emily Milon, St. Leo the Great School; Phoebe Braica, St. Leo the Great School; Aubrey Braica, St. Leo the Great School; Mckenzi Wolfe, St. Rose of Lima School; Andrew Hunt, St. Rose of Lima School; and Anthony Lombardis, St. Catharine School.

“After learning about the State of New Jer- sey in their social studies curriculum, fourth graders from across Monmouth County depicted their favorite aspects of our County and its government through their creative entries,” Clerk Hanlon said. “I commend all of the students who participated in this year’s contest, as we were impressed by their artistic talents and eye-catching posters.”

The winning posters will be displayed at the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office, located at 33 Mechanic Street in Freehold.