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public service aspects of the hobby, which doubled my time and efforts of learning Emergency Communications and spending a lot of time in the Amateur Radio Emergency Services or ARES unit of our county.

ARES not only became a part of my ham radio career, it also goes along in conjunction with my duties as a volunteer firefighter in Westfir, Oregon as well. Many family and friends wonder how I do it all? Even with the post surgery recovery and learning process of learning to hear the world and the words and sounds of the radio, as I once imagined as a young child, when I had envisioned that I would one day become a ham myself, if I got lucky.

Taking the test wasn't hard, especially when it was offered online and in print in book form, the later was easier and faster to do, than crashing with a book, when you actually had the ability to access the internet and jump onto QRZ.COM and study online for an hour or two for two weeks, until I took the exam and passed.

It was probably one of the best decision of life when I had the life changing surgery of a cochlear implant, every ham that I shadowed before I got my ticket, supported the efforts of me becoming an elite ranking ham with a mission - Providing emergency communications during emergencies and during public service events, such a walk-a-thons, bike rides and tours and the Olympic Trials.

In a post 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina world, amatuer radio is stronger than ever! Thanks to those that have taken serious consideration to helping neighbors, friends, family and strangers in times of need - its amazing at what we do and how we do it, in most cases, hams are taken for granted. But, that's okay, they know we do our job and they do theirs, it makes everyone happy in the long run.

...Simple as the chopping down the cherry tree, but worst than getting one hinds and bottom dollar burned byt the strong RF's in the antennas!

73's.

Learn more about this author, Jeff Newton.
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