THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 17, 1995 TAG: 9512150411
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Gary Edwards
LENGTH: Short : 36 lines
John Hale read the Christmas message and looked puzzled.
``This says, `Des Moines, Washington,' '' Hale said. ``I know it's not for Des Moines, Iowa, because I come from Iowa and it's the wrong area code.'' Hale checked the address and found that Des Moines, Washington exists. It's near Seattle.
Hale and other members of the Virginia Beach Amateur Radio Club have been sending free messages of holiday cheer around the country and overseas from their booth in Pembroke Mall. They set up shop on Dec. 10 and will continue sending holiday messages for folks until the mall closes at 10 tonight.
``We sent about 900 messages last year,'' said Dave Brewer as he typed up a note to Los Angeles Thursday afternoon. ``We hope to top that this year.''
The hams can send either continuous wave (voice) or print messages using laptop computers. They can send them locally, nationally and to some foreign countries and military bases.
Brewer typed in the message and passed it on to Mike Moe on a disc. Moe forwarded the message to an electronic bulletin board. Christine Rohrer sat at a microphone and delivered voice messages.
The club has performed the service for at least 10 years. To send a free message to a loved one, visit the booth in the mall's theater wing. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by Gary Edwards
At Pembroke Mall, Dave Brewer, a ham operator, types in a holiday
message, which was to be delivered by electronic bulletin board.
by CNB