Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
James Pilman uses his portable radio at Vulcan Park, where he had some of his first experiences as a ham radio operator.
In James Pilman’s family, radio was never just about background noise. His parents, sister and cousins were all amateur radio operators — frequently called hams.
Pilman recalls climbing to the observation deck on the Vulcan statue in Birmingham as a young boy, radio in hand. At the top, he could pick up signals and communicate with other hams up to 50 miles away.
“It ended up being a family thing, which is neat,” said Pilman, who lives near the dividing line between Argo and Trussville.
Though he grew up around ham radio, Pilman got seriously invested in the hobby about 35 years ago. He said he’s stuck with the hobby because of its blend of experimentation and public service.
Ham radio operators are licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast over radio waves, each with a unique call sign. At the time Pilman received his license, he had to learn Morse code to qualify, though that is no longer the case. Once licensed, hams can talk to each other from around the corner or, with the right equipment, across the world.
Pilman has dabbled in these global communications and has talked to fellow operators in Canada, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Japan, Norway and other countries. These conversations can range from local news and personal details to any topic the hams like, but they always have a common interest in radio equipment as a starting point. Every once in a while, Pilman’s radio reach will extend just a little bit farther.
“I’ve heard the International Space Station, but I’ve never gotten a contact [back],” he said. “It’s weird when you think, ‘Man, that’s an astronaut.’”
With radio in hand, Pilman followed the path of the 1996 Olympics torch through Birmingham, talking with members of the relay team along the way. He has also talked with pilots in the cockpit and ABC 33/40 meteorologist James Spann, who enjoys amateur radio.
“Back in the day, he was extremely active [on the radio],” Pilman said.
However, Pilman’s ham interests are more specifically focused on emergency communications. When a disaster makes traditional phone and Internet connection impossible, ham operators can bring their equipment, powered by battery or generator, to the scene and provide reliable communication for residents or emergency personnel. Hams participate in yearly “field days” to test their equipment and skills in a simulated emergency.
Pilman joined a county search and rescue group through ham radio and has worked on rescue operations in different parts of the state. He was part of the team for 25 years and every time they went out, the group made sure to bring radio equipment with them.
“There are areas that we go to that still have no cell coverage,” Pilman said.
As an avid camper and hiker, Pilman said he always brings basic radio equipment with him so he never has to worry about being out of communication. Once, when the Buffalo River in Arkansas flooded while he was canoeing it, Pilman was able to set up an antenna so he and others on the river could communicate to their families that they were safe.
“I’m just lucky that I get to combine it with a lot of other hobbies,” Pilman said. “Ham radio goes hand in hand with that.”
Though talking over the radio waves is a fairly old-fashioned method of communicating, Pilman believes its reliability and relatively uninhibited communication will make ham radio stick around even as technology updates around it.
“I really think it has a big role in the future,” Pilman said.
Pilman is a member of the Birmingham Amateur Radio Club, where hams from around the Birmingham area meet to talk about their hobby and build and repair radios. This month, the BARC will hold its annual Hamfest convention, March 4-5 at the Zamora Shrine Temple.
For those interested in ham radio, Pilman said the Hamfest is a great chance to meet people and learn about the hobby. For more information, visit w4cue.com.