three fisher people wading in the river and a rowboat

David B. Soete

still river in the summer

David B. Soete

a series of short cascading falls along side large flat boulders

David B. Soete

looking up river towards Hancock, NY

David B. Soete

stark ariel photo of a boat with two fisherman

David B. Soete

Winter on the Delaware River

David B. Soete

U.D.S.R.R. Hosts HAM Radio Operator Event

Release date: April 5, 2016
Contact(s): Ingrid Peterec, Chief of Interpretation
Ingrid_Peterec@nps.gov; (570) 685-4871 ext. 6605

Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River Hosts HAM Radio Operator Event
Come see what amateur radio operation is all about at Upper Delaware S&RR during National Park Week

BEACH LAKE, PA – Imagine talking across town, around the world, or even into space in a time before internet or cell phones. As part of our celebration of National Park Week, Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River is partnering with the Wayne County Amateur Radio Club to educate people about the fascinating operation of HAM radios. Join us on April 23, 2016 between 9am and 5pm at the National Park Service Ranger Station in Milanville, Pennsylvania (1152 River Road, Milanville, PA) for a demonstration by amateur radio operators that brings together people, technology, and communication.

HAM radio operation has been around since the early 20th century. The term HAM radio comes from phrases such as “ham-fisted”, or “ham-actor”, indicating that someone is clumsy or bad at something. Amateur radio operators adopted the moniker, and the rest is history! HAM radios can broadcast all over the world, and each operator or club has a special call sign to identify themselves to other operators. There is also a highly specific way of speaking on the radio when contact with another operator is made.

Whether you are a seasoned HAM radio operator, or you are just curious to learn more about the hobby, this special event has something for you. The National Park Service Ranger Station in Milanville is located at 1152 River Road, Milanville, PA – please remember that the Skinner’s Falls Bridge across the Delaware River is currently closed. If coming to this event from New York the bridges closest to our Milanville office, with the easiest access to River Road, are in Narrowsburg, NY or Cochecton, NY. To learn more about the Wayne County Amateur Radio Club visit their webpage at https://waynecoarc.org/.

For more information call (570) 685-4871, visit our website at www.nps.gov/upde, or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/updeNPS.

Caption: A young visitor learning how to operate a HAM radio.

Delaware River valley in the summer
Photo Credit: David B. Soete
Did You Know?

The main stem of the Delaware River extends 330 miles from the confluence of its East and West Branches near Hancock, NY to the mouth of the Delaware Bay. While almost 7% of the nation’s population relies on the Delaware Basin’s waters for drinking and industrial use, the watershed drains only 0.4% of the continental U.S. land area. In all, the basin comprises 13,539 square miles, including portions of Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.