In the garage of Grandpa Harding's house was something I'd never seen before. Looking back, I know that he did not live in that house very long, because I only remember going there with Mom a few times. Both of these times though, he made a big impact on my childhood. I think that he had moved back to Enid because he was trying to get Grandma to take him back, but she never did. My grandfather was an alcoholic for most of his adult life. This season though, however short lived, was a sober phase, and during this season he showed me something I'll never forget, and I got to know my Grandpa.
During this visit, Grandpa took me out to the garage where he had set up his Ham Radio. I had never seen one before. In the corner was a big desk and chair with several box shaped things stacked on top of each other. There were switches, toggles, and lights on these boxes. And in front of it all, was a big microphone. The garage smelled oily and dusty, and it was dim, so Grandpa had to turn on some lights. Then he pulled a chair over for me, and we he sat down in front of all his stuff. I watched as he toggled some levers, and tapped some buttons. Lights came on and static rattled through the speaker, then Grandpa spoke into the microphone and signed on saying something, this is "W5BGX. Anybody out there? Then a voice responded. This is KA5DEF. Then there was more static and rumbling, then Grandpa said again, "This is W5GBX. You got me good buddy."
I did some research on the Ham radio call signs and found out that the number in the middle of the call sign, in this case, a 5, was their territory location. This covered all of Oklahoma and Texas as well as New Mexico, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. A big territory. I listened, as Grandpa then asked where the trucker was that day. What highway and State, and where they were going. They'd talk about weather and traffic and accidents along the road. Tornado's and severe thunderstorms were always a big deal in the summertime. They sometimes told Grandpa about their rig trouble, or someone else's rig trouble, or about hitchhiker they picked up, and so on.
Grandpa's friend group were mostly truckers and other Ham radio operators. After the conversations Granpa had with truckers on the road, he'd reach out to friends group and let them know about traffic, storms, and accidents. "10 4 Good Buddy" was said often between them. Grandpa had cards printed with his call sign on it and he gave me one that day. I still have it.
As a young girl, I was completely fascinated. This was way before computers or smart phones. The only communication we had back then were telephones that hung on the wall with long curly cords, so this thing that Grandpa communicated on was like magic to me. I was out there with him long enough that Mom checked on me twice. She found me both times in a chair next to him with a smile on my face so she let me stay.
Dying to talk myself, I finally asked Grandpa if I could talk on the microphone to somebody. He explained to me then, that Ham radio operators took their jobs quite seriously. The radio was not a toy. But after a minute or so, Grandpa smiled and told the next man he talked too that his Granddaughter was sitting in with him today and asked him if she could say, "Hi."
The man on the radio then said, "10 4 Good Buddy. A Okay." Grandpa nudged me like, "Go ahead." I honestly don't remember what I said to him, or what he said to me. I didn't talk very long, but at the end I remember signing off the way I heard Grandpa do it. "This is W5BGX over and out."
This visit with Grandpa, and the next one I had were special to me because we got to know each other. He shared something he loved with me on the first one, and he told me a great and fabulous story on the second. I had his undivided attention on these days, and every little girl wants days like that with her grandpa.
And so... that day in his garage learning about the Ham Radio and listening to him talk to truckers is probably my favorite day with a Grandparent.
"And this is Little P at W5BXG over and out."
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