Michael O’Donnell, Idaho State Journal

POCATELLO — When all hell breaks loose and normal communication channels are down or overwhelmed, volunteers with ham radios can provide links to the outside world and coordinate rescue efforts.

Classes being held this month by the Portneuf Valley Amateur Radio Emergency Service are designed to bolster the ranks of people in Southeast Idaho who have Federal Communication Commission licenses to operate ham radios. Ten students took advantage of the first of three classes Saturday at the Idaho State University annex building near Pocatello City Hall.

“I think it’s extremely valuable,” instructor and Pocatello fireman Glen Powell said about the ranks of ham operators in the nation. “We can operate almost anywhere at anytime.”

When major catastrophes or tragic events take place, like Hurricane Katrina or the Boston Marathon bombings, its often amateur radio operators who provide the needed communication. Powell said police and other emergency communication can become overloaded quickly and the large broadband of ham radio gives a reliable option for communication — even if major infrastructure is damaged.

“In times of disaster like floods, forest fires or hurricanes, we don’t have to have infrastructure,” Powell said.

Members of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service hone their skills at planned events in the area where normal cellphone coverage is not available. Examples are the Pocatello 50-mile Trail Run, Peddlefest and the Pocatello Marathon. Volunteers with ham radios can man help stations along the routes and keep everyone abreast of developments regardless of the remote nature of the terrain.

Three years ago when a freak snowstorm blinded runners in the trail run causing some of them to get lost on the wrong routes, Powell said it was ham radio operators who located the runners and helped get them to safety.

“We’re there in case information has to be communicated back and forth,” Powell said.

Ham radio operators were also put to work when the Charlotte Fire happened two years ago. Powell said a major advantage of radio communication is that a large number of listeners can hear information first-hand and respond to it instantly.

The instructor said there are approximately 2,200 licensed ham radio operators in the Bannock County area, but less than 50 are active as volunteers. The classes are being held to bolster those numbers.

Among Saturday’s students were Brian Perry, an Idaho State University robotics and communications technology student, and Pocatello resident Laura McRae.

Perry said the ham radio classes will help him with his studies and give him deeper understanding of how radio frequencies and communication work.

McRae said she became interested in becoming a ham radio volunteer after attending a disaster preparedness event held at Pocatello City Hall.

“I like the ability to communicate , and I like the idea of helping out too,” McRae said.

Co-instructor of the class and chief engineer for Idaho Public Television in Pocatello, Dave Turnmire has been a ham radio enthusiast for 15 years and says learning what’s necessary to get licensed is pretty easy. Students in Pocatello will attend classes for the next two Saturdays, and then take the federal test. Sample tests are available online.

Turnmire is also chairman of the state Emergency Systems Committee and said the focus of the classes is to prepare people to be able to help in case of an emergency.

The cost of getting started with ham radio equipment can be as low as $100 for a basic handheld unit that can be programmed with computer software to a solid base set for all bandwidths and modes for about $800.

The FCC has different levels of licenses from technician to advanced to extra. Higher levels of licensure allow users to connect with other operators all over the world.

“Most people spend about $300 to $400,” Powell said about the average ham operator. “Then you turn into a geek and start spending thousands.”

Copyright © 2014 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All Rights Reserved.