VA Amateurs are the Pros

"The departments that we have interfaced with have had positive feedback. We continue to have make our presents known to the hospital," said Keith Thomas, chief radio officer of the Jerry L. Pettis VA amateur radio club. Tucked away out of sight on the seconnd floor of the VA Hospital sits a 20-foot-by-10-foot room. That room houses the VA's emergency communications equipment. Recently, emergency communications was put to the test when the power went out at the hospital in June. The radio club responded with seven members that day to provide important communications between departments. The Jerry L Pettis VA Hospital Amateur Radio club was officialy formed in February 2011. Prior to 2011, the hospital radio room was staffed by employees. Currently, most club members are VA volunteers. As of current membership, the club, who holds an amateur radio call sign of W6VAH, has approximently 20 members. When the club was formed, they started out with five members. The W6VAH club runs a net on HF (High Frequency) on 14.255 megahertz. The purpose of the net is to make contact with both veterans and non-veterans. On the net, club members talk to operators from around the country, and occasionally the world. The average number of contacts varies by atmospheric conditions. Currently, the club participates in two yearly drills, including the Great American Shake Out in October. These drills help prepare the club for real life emergency situations. The W6VAH club at the Jerry L. Pettis VA Hospital is one of a few VAs involved with amateur radio and emergency communications. They regularly make contact with N5VA, the VA hospital in New Mexico. Any licensed amateur radio operator is welcome to check in with them and to visit the radio room.