Twenty-one Nobles are proud members of the the Al Bahr Shrine RADOPS, who use their Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Amateur Radio Station licenses in service to Al Bahr Shriners events and programs.

There’s an Al Bahr Shriners radio station, the Robert T. Dalzell Memorial Station - K6ABR, licensed by the FCC and located in the west end of the clubs building behind the Temple, with the capability of communicating with any point on the planet.  You may have seen the elaborate beam antenna atop the station’s tower being rotated to direct the transmitted signal to a point in another state, or country on another continent, bouncing the transmission off the ionosphere to reach the distant station and maintain communication. 

Amateur radio, often called “ham radio”, is both an activity and a service that uses various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public service, recreation and self-training.  Your Al Bahr “Hams” are called RADOPS, and enjoy personal wireless communications with each other during our weekly “nets”, as well as talking with other hams around the world.  We’re able to support our communities with emergency and disaster communications if necessary, while increasing our personal knowledge of electronics and radio theory, if one has an interest in that area of ham radio. There are over six million people around the world who are regularly involved with amateur radio.

RADOPS provide valuable instant communication for units during our parades, and when called upon for communications at other Al Bahr Shriner's events.

        Within ham radio there's something for everyone's interest.  Some are fascinated with "rag chewing", where they gab and talk with other hams everywhere about many topics.  It's a wonderful connection where, in today's world, we seldom communicate with friends, and never talk to strangers.   Other hams have an interest in antennas, and getting the most signal out;  there are "nets", like club meetings, only on the air, where like-minded hams gather to converse and share their common interest, such as the daily world wide Masonic Net;  there are hams who concentrate their activities in service organizations like the Sheriff's Department "RACES" (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service), a nation wide organization, where they provide communication of a public welfare nature during emergencies;  or ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service), where they contribute life saving communications within hospitals during power outages and other emergencies;  and then there's the family contact use of ham radio, where many in a single family use ham radio to knit the family closer and keep in touch.  It's not unusual to find several members of a family each with their own FCC call sign.  "Field Day" activities find hams operating from "emergency" locations, out and away from their homes, and using mobile radio stations.  The El Cajon Amateur Radio Club has, for decades, used the Al Bahr Shrine Camp as a location for their annual Field Day exercises.  Not to be overlooked are the "QRP" hams, who work to see how far they can communicate with as little power as possible.  Their knowledge and experimentation has contributed to space craft communications, where weight and electric power is at a premium.  And, mentioning space,  there are, now, twenty-six (26) amateur radio satellites in orbit, and a huge number of the ham community use and work with these satellites.  So I hope you can see there is, truly, something for everyone in ham radio.

If you are a “ham” or have an interest in becoming one, please contact the RADOPS.  We look forward to meeting you.  You can get started by clicking on the "Contact Us" tab on the Home Page.