Amateurs are pros

Amateur's are the pros
By: C.J. Ellington

 "The departments that we have interfaced with have had positive feedback. We continue to have make our presents known to the hospital." Says Keith Thomas, Chief Radio Officer of the Jerry L Pettis VA amateur raido club.
 Tucked away out of sight on the 2nd 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 7 members that day, to provide important communications between departments.
 The Jerry L Pettis VA Hospital Amateur Radio club was officialy formed in Febuary of 2011. Prior to 2011, the hospital radio room was staffed by employees. Currently most club members are VA volunteer's.
 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 5 members.
 The W6VAH club runs a net on HF (High Frequency) on 14.255 megahertz. The purpous of the net is to make contact with both vets and non vets.
 On the net, club members talk to operaters from around the country and occationaly the world. The average number of contacts veries by atmospheric conditions.
 Curently, the club participates in 2 yearly drill's, including the great american shake out in October. These drills help prepare the club for the real thing.
 The W6VAH club at the Jerry L Pettis VA Hospital is one of a few VA's involved with amateur radio and emergency communicaitons. They regurly make contact with N5VA, the VA hospital in New Mexico.
 Any licensed amateur radio operater is welcome to check in with them and to visit the radio room. They would love to have you visit and show you around.