Our Jeeps can get us to some incredible places on this planet. Believe it or not, in some of those places…actually, in a lot of those places…cell phones and CBs (citizen band radios) either do not work at all or cannot reach beyond the group we are in. The basic issue with both of those technologies is range. Fortunately, there is a form of communication that has far greater reach than either of those. That communication is amateur radio, which is most commonly referred to as ham radio.

Ham radio has been around since the early 1900’s and continues to be widely used today. The Kansas City metro area has a large community of ham enthusiasts and a great deal of resources to support the hobby. One of the biggest is also a club sponsor, Associated Radio, located in Overland Park, KS. Needless to say, this not just a Jeep thing. Regardless, in our journeys, we have to always make safety our top priority, and ham radio is another tool that we can put to use in that endeavor.

The benefits also reach beyond just trail safety. Many organizations throughout our country request the volunteer support of ham radio operators during times of crisis. Be it after an earthquake or hurricane, wildfire or flood, ham radio operators can deploy quickly and provide unprecedented communications when traditional methods fail.

Ham radio operation is not all about emergencies thankfully. The most common request for ham radio volunteers is to support local events. Volunteering at this events provides opportunities not just to support the events, but also get a behind the scenes view of what is going on.

The biggest event for the KC Jeep Club is the Dirty Kanza. This 200 mile gravel road bicycle race requests the support of the KC Jeep Club every year. Where some of these gravel roads exist, cell phone signals do not. Ham radios work though and KC Jeep Club members have the vehicles to tackle the terrain. If you cannot make the Dirty Kanza, do not fret, as the Bike MS needs volunteers every year, as well as a host of other events. (A personal favorite of mine is the 100 Acre Wood Rally. It’s a bit of a drive though.)

Ultimately the point is this. For off-road use, ham radio is an incredibly useful tool and can provide an extra layer of safety. At the same time however, the amateur radio hobby can be a whole lot of fun on its own. We invite anyone who is interested in obtaining a license to ask around the membership and they will get you pointed in the right direction!