Photo By Kaylyn St.Jean | Lt. Col. Matthew Sherburne (foreground)K F4WZB operates his radio and contact logging...... read more read more
Amid construction of Fort Eisenhower’s new Cyber campus, is the shadow of Camp Gordon’s original footprint of military-style headquarters buildings and training facilities in the process of transforming or demolition.
One building barely noticeable, on a side road adjacent to the summer attraction splash pad, is a small concrete structure resembling a small radio station. There is no sign out front, only a chain link fence and utility vehicles providing a glimmer of what might be contained within.
Peeling back the years, before it became a building to house the headquarters of the post’s cleaning contractor, it was a purpose-built hub of communication to all points outside Augusta, a place to communicate with other units, friends, loved ones. It was home to the Region 4 headquarters of the Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS), once a staple of any military post for communicating from remote areas to home via telegrams or telephone patches.
The technology uses high frequency (HF) radio waves and was operated by amateur radio operators, or ‘Ham’ radio operators. Amateur radio began emerging as a communication tool in the early 20th century. The term ‘Ham’ was a derogatory term given to amateur radio operators because of their poor morse-code sending skills, referring to them as ‘ham-fisted.’ The term continues today as a proud distinction of persons with technical acumen to communicate across the globe (and sometimes space) using high frequency radio signals.
In 1949, Camp Gordon registered call sign K4WAR with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). It was featured in Signal Magazine three years later boasting 1,000 club members and sending almost 16,000 messages around the globe annually. It continued to exist through the next four decades, but interest waned and, with the proliferation of cellular and satellite technology in the 1990s, the MARS program on post ceased operation effectively shutting the doors to K4WAR.
The station functioned through the 80’s and into 90’s and was eventually dismantled after the first Gulf War. The last operator of K4WAR registered as a trustee for the site in 2000 and he continued renewing K4WAR with the FCC. However, the structure still stands minus the radios and antenna.
Enter Lt. Col. Matthew Sherburne, currently assigned to the CCoE with the Army Capability Manager for Electromagnetic Warfare. His passion for HAM radio was sparked at 14 when he made his first contact, and he knew then he was going to be a Signaleer in the U.S. Army. In 2019 he was assigned to the Cyber Protection Brigade and started working to establish a club here. A significant portion of the knowledge required to obtain an amateur radio operator license is covered in the Program of Instruction for the Advanced Individual Training for CCoE students.
“It is a technology that is being used,” said Sherburne, “HAM radio allows folks to delve into HF, UHF, VHF, SatCom. We have satellites in space for HAM radio. The club allows folks to get hands-on with a hobby in a licensed manner that there’s learning transference. What they learn and do in their hobby, they can directly pour over into their skills for the Army, whether its Signal or Cyber.”
According to the Cyber School’s Command Sergeant Major Kevin Flickinger, it’s expanding interest among Signal and Cyber populations is natural because of the knowledge of amateur radio theory and operations and the ability to operate in the contested electromagnetic spectrum of a future operating environment against a near-peer adversary.
“The skill set in the 25 and 17 series matches amateur radio operations, such as how waves move, antenna theory, etc.” said U.S. Army Cyber Command’s Capt. Austin ‘Wally’ Walrabenstein, current club Vice President.
Locally, the group provides weekend classes toward obtaining an amateur radio technician certificate. Interest is spiking and most recently 257 soldiers attended training, both permanent party and students, with 121 taking the test and 108 passing. The certification also earns points toward promotion.
The club has voluntarily hosted exam prep courses, proctored the exam and provided all the equipment for training and field day exercises since 2020, said Sherburne, current President of the club.
Although its primarily used as a hobby today, its viability was tested recently when Hurricane Helene knocked out power and internet to large portions of the Southeast, including the Central Savannah River Area and Fort Eisenhower.
Walrabenstein, a certified radio operator, resorted to his trusty shortwave radio when all other forms of communication weren’t available.
“After spinning the dial, I reached a guy in North Carolina who was providing assistance to Search and Rescue and getting aid and he was able to get me in touch with some guy in Atlanta operating on a different frequency,” said Walrabenstein. The Atlanta contact was able to access information not available in the CSRA.
It was a natural fit to establish an amateur radio club at Fort Eisenhower. As it turns out, it wasn’t a first. Doing research, Sherburne learned of the old MARS station and came upon retired Sgt. 1st Class Edwin Dodds the trustee who kept K4WAR alive and who still owned the last radio removed from the station.
In July 2020, the club was approved to operate on post by the Garrison Commander and they officially named the club the David M. Fiedler Memorial Amateur Radio Club after LTC (ret) Fiedler, a man known throughout the community as the ‘father of HF radio in the modern military.”
“It’s a great past time for people who like to tinker,” said 2nd Lt. Darby Wills, current student at Cyber Basic Officer Leader Course, referring to the fact that most radio sets are old and keeping them functional needs a creative mindset, skills needed in the cyber and signal functional areas.
Wills began his fascination with HAM radio while in middle school in Aiken. Retired Army Col. Kent Huffard was a mentor who introduced him to HF radio, a tool Huffard used as a Huey pilot in Vietnam to unofficially reach back home and talk with his family. Fascinated, Wills continued his radio operator journey through high school and at Augusta University as a cadet and member of the amateur radio club. The partnership he forged during college continues through his training at Fort Eisenhower.
“They (AU) provide equipment for our field day event,” Wills said. “It not only gives us access to equipment we don’t have, but it provides them an opportunity to get it tested and ensure its operational,” said Wills.
The annual field day event in June is a 27-hour exercise designed to test equipment, capabilities and patience. This past year, Wills led a team that used the Barton Field flagpole as a giant antenna and picked up transmissions from Bulgaria. The handful of participants spent the night engineering different ways to connect with roughly 75 different operators around the globe.
Augusta University isn’t the only entity who supports K4WAR. The support received remotely makes testing and certification possible.
“The support we get from Greater Los Angeles Radio Group with administrative costs and administering tests allows for greater flexibility with the program,” said Wills. “And the NCOs of 551 and 369 (Signal Battalions), provide us classroom space to conduct training and testing.”
Walrabenstein delved into CB radios as a teenager in Northern Virginia. His father, an Army veteran, convinced him to get into ‘real radios.’
“I leaned it was not just about talking, but listening as well, to aircraft and voices around the world,” said Walrabenstein. “I brought my shortwave radio everywhere, Afghanistan and Korea.”
These communicators keep K4WAR engaged and active, even though there is no official ‘home’ for the station anymore. The club is open to anyone in the community, military or civilian. All you have to have is a passion for communicating and the ability to tinker.
The local group meets regularly at different locales on and off post. Anyone interested in learning more or joining K4WAR, can email K4WAR.ARC@gmail.com.
| Date Taken: | 12.18.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.18.2024 11:41 |
| Story ID: | 487800 |
| Location: | FORT EISENHOWER, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 450 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, CCoE Soldiers use new skills for old past time, by Lesli Ellis-Wouters, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
