Amateur Ham Radio Operators Will Hold Event at Old Mulkey Meeting House Oct. 10

Published 12:00 am Monday, October 5, 2009

Amateur radio has been around for almost a century and now it’s on its way to beautiful Old Mulkey Meetinghouse State Historic Site in Tompkinsville.

On Saturday Oct. 10, members of the Monroe County Amateur Radio Club will host a “Special Event Station” at the park. The Special Event Station, an interactive event, will give visitors the opportunity to learn more about this hobby as well as an opportunity for “non-hams” to get their chance to talk on the radio.

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“We are excited to be promoting Old Mulkey while giving visitors to the park the opportunity to learn more about how ham radio affects their lives,” said club member Mark Warren. “We have a saying… When all else fails, amateur radio works.”

Warren said that if the atmospheric conditions are right, his group will be able to broadcast around the world from the meeting house yard.

The Special Event Station will begin at 10 a.m. At 1 p.m., a test will be offered to those interested in obtaining a tech license. (You will need a photo ID or social security card). At 6:30 p.m., the band Kentucky Bluegrass will perform.

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In addition to the Special Event Station, Old Mulkey will host the Third Annual Fall Cornhole Tournament the same day at 3 p.m. Proceeds from the tournament will support the Friends of Old Mulkey. Visitors should bring a lawn chair for this free event.

For more information, call Mark Warren at 270-487-0973 or Park Manager Sheila Rush at 270-487-8481.

Old Mulkey is the oldest free-standing log church in the Commonwealth. The site is about 25 miles south of the Edmonton Exit on the Cumberland Parkway. Take KY 163 from Edmonton to Tompkinsville. Take the Old Mulkey Road or KY 1446 about two miles past Tompkinsville to the site. From I-65, take the Cumberland Parkway to Glasgow, follow KY 90 from Glasgow, and turn south onto KY 163 to Tompkinsville.

Editors note: For those familiar with amateur radio and the Special Event Station, the call sign will be “K4Y”. The frequencies will be (+/- 20kHz) 80-meter band 3.945 MHz, lower side band; 40-meter band 7.215 MHz, lower side band; 20 meter band 14.230 MHz, slow scan T.V. and upper side band; 10 meter band, 28.415 MHz, upper side band. This is a QSL event and you will be provided a certificate and Old Mulkey information upon confirmation of contact. SASE will be required.

The Kentucky State Park System is composed of 52 state parks plus an interstate park shared with Virginia. The Department of Parks, an agency of the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, operates 17 resort parks with lodges — more than any other state. For more information on Kentucky parks, visit our Web site at http://www.parks.ky.gov