BEARS introduces kids to Morse, old-style phones

Again this year, the Bayouland Emergency Amateur Radio Service operated a special event station to publicize both Eagle Expo and the Water and Nature Expo.
Although radio contacts are the main reason for working this event, it is a special treat for youngsters who visit the booth. They learn about Morse code and actually get to tap out code on a code key, then play with a can and string phone as kids did many years ago.
Bag phones, the forerunner to cell phones are on display and the most fun thing is to ask one of the young participants to pick up the handset of a dial telephone and call their house number.
BEARS is always happy to help a local event and set up a complete ham radio station
for the public to see and to tell everyone who is contacted a little bit about Morgan City and St. Mary Parish.
The next event will be in April with the combination 200th anniversary of Franklin, the Bayou Teche Black Bear Festival and the Wooden Boat show.