Amateur Radio Broadcaster Ho Wing-leung
Thought ham radio died out in the 70s? Think again. Ho Wing-leung is the President of the Hong Kong Amateur Radio Association. He talks to June Ng about how radio can be put to a greater good.
HK Magazine: So radio is not just a hobby, but also something that can contribute to society?
Ho Wing-leung: There is a code of conduct that says every radio lover who gets a ham radio license has to assist in communication when major networks are down. For example, breaking news about the tsunami in 2004 was sent out by ham radio lovers who were experimenting with receivers on a remote island in the area. Besides emergency calls, we also assist in covering local charity events such as walkathons, when remote venues are not covered by the local network.
HK: How exactly does ham radio work?
HW: There are a few ways to play with a radio. It can be used like an instant messenger or a chat room; just turn on the machine, tune into the right channel, and you’ll find someone to talk to if you’re lucky. But you have to go to the right neighborhood—if you want to talk to people in Guangzhou, go to Lantau; for people in Hong Kong or Kowloon, Tate’s Cairn has the best reception. And if you’re really skilful, you can try to send out the signals as far as you can and see who picks it up—I once got a message from Argentina.
HK: When did you first get into this hobby?
HW: When I was a kid I always saw my uncle fiddling with electronic appliances from used army goods stores. It gradually developed into a hobby and I started to play with a walkie-talkie, just to see who would pick up my signal and talk to me. That was over 20 years ago. I even found a job related to ham radio because of my love for it.
HK: What’s so fun about it?
HW: Making new friends—the ham radio community includes all walks of life, from everyday people to CEOs of companies. It’s like a channel for people to escape from their everyday lives.
HK: Do some people talk to each other in Morse code just for fun?
HW: Yes. I tried to learn Morse code too but I failed. I know a number of people who don’t even have a microphone with their equipment; they only communicate via Morse code. They think it’s more beautiful than any human language.
HK: If I want to try to find a friend on the airwaves, could I just buy a walkie-talkie and tune in? Where can I buy the equipment?
HW: You could do that if you tune into the right channel and you buy the right machine. There are lots of shops that sell electronic appliances in Ap Liu Street in Sham Shui Po. And thanks to the popularity of ham radio in China, a walkie-talkie costs around $200.