Free classes by the Carson Valley Radio Club to prepare prospective ham-radio operators for their technician class license begin Thursday.
Classes run 12 weeks one night a week at the Minden-Tahoe Airport.
Ham radio operators help in emergencies or natural disasters, such as the recent wildland fires, severe weather or even potential terrorist attacks in the wake of 9-11.
The Carson Valley Radio Club is one of only two amateur (ham) radio clubs in Carson Valley and is heavily involved in preparing ham radio operators to assist during emergencies and other public service needs, said member Dick Flanagan, one of the founders of the Carson Valley Radio Club.
"For the past 75 years, whenever disaster has struck anywhere in the world, ham radio operators have often been the first and only source of communications into and out of the affected areas for hours and even days," he said.
Preparing for such events is a big responsibility and one the radio club willingly accepts.
"Some of our members establish sophisticated radio stations in their homes, with the latest equipment and high-performance antennas," Flanagan said. "Others equip their vehicles as all-terrain mobile communication centers that can move into disaster areas on a moment's notice. Still others keep small walkie talkies with them for immediate communications."
Knowledge of Morse code is not required to get started. While this was once true, it has not been the case for more than a decade. More than one-third of all ham radio operators hold a technician class license.
For information on the classes or ham radio in general, check the club's Web site at: www.cvrc.net, write the Carson Valley Radio Club at P.O. Box 2892, Minden, NV 89423, or call Flanagan at 267-4900.