Ham it up: Amateur radio operators bring Ingham’s radio room back to life (Florida)

The U.S. military retired the Coast Guard Cutter Ingham more than three decades ago, but the decorated ship’s radio room came back to life last weekend, its computer screens blinking with color-coded blocks of numbers and letters. Two experienced radiomen, both now in their 80s, donned headphones and manned the computers and radio dials, sending out calls, making contacts and communicating with people, by voice or Morse code, all over the world — New Zealand, Thailand, Japan, France, all 50 states and more.

But they weren’t discussing military operations or classified missions. No, this was a “party,” an amateur, or ham, radio party, 

In the jargon of these radio operators, it was the FQP Florida QSO Party, and it took place over two days for 10 hours each day. From noon to 10 p.m. on April 27 and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on April 28, local ham radio operators manned the station in the Ingham’s radio room and tried to make contact with as many people as they could in as many far-flung places as possible.

“I’ve met so many people all over the world through the amateur radio world,” said Dick Stein, 77, who has had his amateur radio license for 62 years. “If my wife and I are planning a trip to Italy, I could get in touch with at least six people I know and plan to meet them over there.”

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