The La Honda Voice

“Who ya’ gonna call? La Honda Radio Hams!”

Public Demonstration of Emergency Communications June 23-24^th – La Honda Gardens

by Sherry Niswander, KG6LGO

Despite the high level of communications available in our area, during emergencies this important tool is often the first lost.  Neither the internet, cell phones nor land lines can withstand heavy winter storms, tornados or major earthquakes.  One consistent service has never failed – Amateur Radio.  The La Honda’s ham radio club, SC4ARC, will join with thousands of other Amateur Radio operators showing their emergency capabilities this weekend.

Local ham radio operators have provided the critical communications during unexpected emergencies, such as last year’s tsunami from Japan and the heavy winter storms of past years.  On the weekend of June 23^rd and 24^th the public will have the chance to meet and talk with  ham radio operators at the La Honda Gardens and see for themselves how the systems work as hams all across the USA and Canada will be holding public demonstrations of emergency communication’s abilities.

Field Day is an annual event that is the climax of Amateur Radio Week sponsored by the ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio.  Using only emergency power supplies, ham operators will construct emergency stations and spend 24 hours (noon to noon) contacting each other to practice sending messages in many forms under crisis scenarios, without the use of phones, internet or any other infrastructure that can be compromised in a crisis.

In the La Honda area, the SC4ARC ham radio club www.sc4arc.org will be demonstrating Amateur Radio at the La Honda Gardens on Highway 84 (behind Cuesta Café) on June 23^rd 12:00PM to June 24^th 12:00PM.  They invite the public to come and see ham radio’s new capabilities and learn how to get their own FCC radio license before the next disaster strikes.  A GOTA (Get On The Air) station will also be set up, which allows unlicensed operators  to transmit.   Come out and try your hand and see what ham radio can do for you and your community.

 

 

The Face of the Face of Local Music - Craig Eddy

by Neil Panton

One of the biggest players in local music is not often in the limelight. However, Craig Eddy is one of the most important folks in our local scene. In addition to being an accomplished musician, singer and songwriter, Craig promotes music in town like no one else, this series of articles being an example.

 

You’ll find Craig at work behind most of La Honda's biggest events; the La Honda Fair, 4th of July town picnic, and the October Jam Fest at Playbowl. He works tirelessly and unselfishly with local musicians and writers to help get their music heard and performed. He opens his studio regularly to provide a place for musicians to relax, play, work out new songs, and make recordings.

 

In addition to playing with his jam band, Delta Vee, Craig turns up here and there playing original songs and covers as a solo act. He estimates he has written a few hundred songs, of which 80 or 90 are in his current songbook. His writing style could best be described as Acoustic Americana.  He writes songs in a conversational style that tell a story. Craig is also known for his work with The Terrans and Foggy Mountain Jam.

 

As with many musicians, Craig began early in life singing and playing music. His first exposure was in church, where he began singing and became accustomed to performing. Craig briefly took piano lessons when he was 7 or 8, but soon became interested in guitar because his brother played. Starting with John Denver songbooks, and influenced by John Kay of Steppenwolf, Craig began singing and playing guitar around age 12. He was transformed into an acoustic musician following an “electrifying” experience, and also enjoys dabbling in mandolin and harmonica.

 

Not just a supporter of music, Craig gets involved in many aspects of life in town.  With his wife Laurie, he ran the Merry Prankster Café for more than three years; was involved in food giveaways, town fundraisers, ham radio for emergency communications, CERT disaster training; and put together music calendars on his community for the La Honda Voice.  Craig likes to “keep it local”: He prefers to have an impact on the world by contributing to his home community since music is, after all, a language common to all people.

 

Craig can be found on Facebook, but also keep an eye on local calendars for his appearances.

 

The May 2012 Edition of the La Honda Voice

Here it is: Download TheLaHondaVoiceMay2012