By David Stephens
Hometown News

Photo by David Stephens
An amateur radio operator communicates around the world during the Spartanburg Amateur Radio Club field day.
The Spartanburg Amateur Radio Club was founded in 1952 and today boasts approximately 100 members. The club is not for profit, but rather for fun, adventure, and, most importantly, they provide service to the community in a variety of ways.
Community service is provided through their assistance with communications during various charity events such as the March of Dimes Walk-America, the Muscular Dystrophy walk-a-thon, and the Assault on Mount Mitchell.
On a more serious side, the club has helped in the search for elderly citizens who have become lost. When bad weather threatens the area, the club is there through Skywarn which is a team of specially trained weather spotters. Whether it is a plane crash or a tornado touching down, members of the Spartanburg Amateur Radio Club are helping with relief and assistance through communications. The club also provides operators to man the Area Emergency Services portion of Spartanburg Emergency Services located in the County Emergency Operations Center.
The club’s current president is Art Patterson. Patterson said he is involved because, “Since I was a young boy I have had an interest in radios. In the Air Force I was sent to electronics school and later I worked for Southern Bell. I have just always been interested and worked around communications. Everything, of course, has been taken over by newer and better technology, but it is good to always have amateur radio and operators for a backup. I don’t believe that will ever go away. Microwave may be knocked out, but amateur radio can still be on the air.”
FOR THE REST OF THE STORY, SEE THIS WEEK’S SPRTANBURG COUNTY NEWS.