Florida Catholic | Diocese Amateur Radio Group Seeks Volunteers

Diocese amateur radio group seeks volunteers

Operators support diocese in case of emergency.

BOB REDDY | FLORIDA CATHOLIC VENICE BUREAU EDITOR

Published: 07.04.08

VENICE | “KG4VDU here and on station in Venice,” the radio squawks.

This was one of the radio calls heard on the second Monday of every month from a small room in the rear of the Chancery of the Diocese of Venice. The call is part of a test of the airwaves and equipment used by the Diocese (of Venice) Amateur Radio Network, known as DARN, an arm of the Catholic Charities diocesan disaster response team.

These airwaves need to be tested regularly in case they are needed in a time of emergency, when amateur radio may be the only communications available.

Bob Sullenberger, 77, coordinator of the Catholic Charities disaster response program and a member of DARN, said the 16 active volunteers have a love of being amateur radio operators and a love of being involved.

The network has base stations in Venice, Port Charlotte, Naples, Fort Myers and Arcadia. The network, however, can only happen if more operators volunteer to staff the radio stations when a disaster takes place.

There are no meetings or dues. An on-air exercise is conducted once a month to ensure reliability of the operators, equipment and repeater frequency.

“The most important criteria is reliability,” Sullenberger said. “As an organization that responds to disaster, without communications you are nothing.”

Being an amateur radio operator is typically a hobby for retirees who have their own radio sets, but the group has attracted two teenagers: Richie DiVito, a student at Incarnation School in Sarasota, and Luke Hendricks of Fort Myers, who is earning his Eagle Scout badge by working to create more sturdy antennas. He is working with Florida Power & Light and Lee County Electric Cooperative to acquire telescoping fiberglass poles.

DARN was founded following the 2004-05 hurricane seasons, which ravaged large parts of the diocese and cut communications off when power was knocked out. Each DARN location has a generator and is equipped with a hand-held transceiver for backup and mobility purposes.

Sullenberger said he is hoping to recruit more operators. Having an FCC amateur radio license is not a prerequisite to joining, although it is helpful. For people without the proper licenses, DARN will help in that process.

Joanne McAleney, real estate coordinator for the diocese, became a member of DARN and just recently received her general license.

In the event of an activation of the group, people will be needed to staff the stations to ensure that Catholic Charities and other nonprofit organizations will be able to communicate.

People who remember the aftermath of the 2004-05 hurricanes know that the loss of power and phone service was widespread.

“Getting information out and being able to respond quickly may be the only way we will be able to handle an emergency,” Sullenberger said.

For more information about DARN, contact Sullenberger KG4VDU at 941-497-5422 or e-mail him at bob.sullenberger@verizon.net.

Return to Diocese of Venice Front Page

Diocese amateur radio group seeks volunteers

Other Stories