County donates equipment trailer to ham radio club

In the event of an emergency where power goes out, ham radios are able to make contact with other people. Adam Steinke, county communication coordinator, said that was why he and Emergency Manager Fred Berger pushed to have the county donate a mobile equipment trailer with a telescopic tower on top used to elevate radio antenna to the local ham radio club.

“Our current system is VHF,” said Steinke. “The state is pushing counties to move to the 700 megahertz system, which is a more secure digital trunking network.”

Very High Frequency (VHF) radio operates in the 30-300 MHz range, primarily used for line-of-sight communication, including maritime, aviation and FM broadcasting.

The State of New Mexico is encouraging counties to migrate from traditional VHF radio systems to a 700-megahertz digital trunking network. The upgraded system offers enhanced security and improved reliability for law enforcement, fire and emergency response agencies.

With the shift underway, some existing analog equipment is no longer needed for primary operations. Rather than decommission the trailer entirely, county officials have opted to donate it to the local ham radio club. Amateur radio operators have long played a supplemental role in disaster response, particularly when primary communication systems fail or become overloaded.

The existing VHF system will remain in place as a backup in case the new 700 MHz system experiences technical difficulties.

 “It’s always good to have a backup system in place,” Steinke said.

The ham radio club plans to use the trailer for amateur radio events, including their annual field day, where ham radio users around the country practice communicating with one another. This year's field day will be held June 27-28. They will also use it to support the county during emergencies, if needed. 

As New Mexico counties continue upgrading to digital systems, the partnership highlights a balance between modernization and preparedness — ensuring that even as communication technology evolves, multiple layers of support remain in place.