Amateur radio club offers free classes

The tall antennas sitting on top of the west tower of the Indiana Memorial Union aren't used to channel life in outer space. Instead, they're used by members of K9IU, IU's amateur radio club.\nMembers of K9IU use radios from the sixth floor of the tower that are hooked up to antennas on the roof in order to speak to other radio operators across the globe, from locals to the late King Hussein of Jordan. Club members also often talk to each other on campus by using handheld transceiver radios, which resemble walkie-talkies, but can reach places even cell phones cannot, said Mark Hermsdorfer, president of K9IU. \nEstablished in 1921 as a part of the physics department of IU, the club now has about 20 active members, from technology buffs to people who simply like to talk, said club treasurer A.J. Ragusa. \n"Amateur radio interests me for a variety of reasons," club member John Johnson said. "There's the technical aspect of it ... but you get to talk to people from all over the country, all over the world, that you would never get the chance to talk to in any other way." \nAlthough most amateur radio operators may build their own radios, some amateur \nradio operators do not have to know anything technical about the equipment, Johnson said.\n"There is a very wide variety of aspects to the hobby." Ragusa said. "We have lawyers in the club who are not technical at all who like to get on the air and like to talk to people in countries where they don't even have a good source of electricity." \nAlthough amateur radio can be a hobby, it has a serious aspect as well. Amateur radio was originally established as a public service, according to the National Association of Amateur Radio's Web site. Radio operators can report damages from a storm, the amount of rain or the size of hail to help local officials give adequate warning to the public. \n"(Amateur radio) was heavily involved with (Hurricane) Katrina and 9/11," Hermsdorfer said. "Homeland security has kind of partnered up with amateur radio and sees it as a resource for communication."\nAmateur radio operators must be licensed by the Federal Communications Commission in order to talk via radio, Hermsorfer said.\nThe club is now focused on the classes it has been offering since Feb. 21, he said. These classes help people interested in amateur radio prepare for an exam required to get a license. The classes are free, but the exams have a small fee. The classes will be taught by faculty, \nstudents and amateur radio operators from the community. \n"Anybody can do this stuff," said adviser Jerry Conover. "Kids, 5 years old, have gotten licenses before." \nFor more information on the classes or on K9IU in general, visit its Web site at http://www.indiana.edu/~k9iu.