Harvey Wirth, VE5HAW
320 Scotia St.
P. O. Box 3151
Melville, SK S0A 2P0
Phone: (306) 728-2942
E-mail: ve5haw@sasktel.net

                When it comes to short-wave radio Harvey Wirth is one of the most dedicated operators in Saskatchewan, And he's very knowledgeable as well.

                Wirth is also the communications director for Melville's Emergency Measures Organization (EMO).

                Should Melville ever encounter a major disaster Wirth is the man who can keep emergency services running smooth. Or at least he can allow them to communicate with each other.,  if and when the need arises.

                The technology is there to allow me to communicate with the police, fire and ambulance personnel to keep them informed of what's happening," explains Wirth.

                Wirth's basement looks like a communications mecca with radios, speakers, microphones and mixer boarders sharing a small place.

                His main form of communication is a ham radio, something he learned about 10 years ago. It was something I was interested in as a kid growing up, but I soon lost interest.

                Wirth admits watching a friend's father with a ham radio aroused his curiosity.

                However, in those days a ham operator had to learn Morse Code and that was something Wirth wasn't interested in doing.
"I really wasn't good at it when I tried to learn so I dropped the whole idea until about 11 years ago, when I found out Morse Code wasn't as critical."

                He studied the course, took the exam and now he's a member of both the Parkland Amateur Radio Club based out of Canora and the Grenfell-Wolseley Radio Club. 

                He has two radio towers in his back yard to ensure he can communicate with as many people as possible.

                "It's a 60-foot tower which give me about 30 miles of transmitter range and about 15 miles of receiver range." He's had conversations with people in Australia, England, Ireland and South Africa.

                  "I've talked with a woman in South Africa and it's really interesting (because) we're each learning about a new culture."

                They talk about the weather and how things are different between the two countries.  "We pretty much talk about anything -- the only two subjects we never talk about are politics and religion. Those topics are taboo in the industry."

                He's also talked with a 77 - year - old retired air force pilot from England -- talking with people is what he loves about being a ham radio operator.

                "I really enjoy connecting with other people.... it's fun and interesting to meet new people over the airwaves."  There are about six other ham radio operators in the Melville area Wirth knows about.