Ten years ago, Rick Mason didn't know much about amateur radio. But now the retired Federal Emergency Management Agency employee is a part of the Walton County Amateur Radio Emergency Service.

Legendary CBS newsman Walter Cronkite, KB2GSD, who held the title of "Most Trusted Man in America," passed away Friday, July 17 after a long illness. He was 92. The avuncular Cronkite anchored CBS Evening News for 19 years until 1981 when he retired. During that time, he reported on such subjects as the Kennedy assassinations, the Civil Rights movement, the Apollo XI lunar landing, Vietnam and the Vietnam-era protests, the Arab-Israeli Six Day War, Watergate and the Begin-Sadat peace accords.

Ham radio enthusiast Brian Wood dials in on his kit ham radio for a clear frequency.

Except for two ham radio operators who expressed uneasiness over an ordinance to establish a countywide policy that would regulate building structures greater than 65 feet, everyone else who voiced an opinion favored the initiative at Monday night’s Planning Commission meeting.

The chief of litigation in the Maryland attorney general's office has been named general counsel at the Federal Communications Commission.

Austin Schlick has represented the state in high-profile legal matters, such as the defense of the state's slot machine gambling plan. He also brought a claim to recover costs incurred by the state to ensure Maryland has a reliable electronic voting system.

Do you ever wonder about how things used to be? Does history really repeat itself? This man doesn't wonder; he knows.

One of Hamilton's own, Tom Glover is Hamilton Township Public Library's Local History Collection Historian. Having an impressive background serving our country and as a part of the amateur radio community since the mid '70s, this man comes full circle in his talents and wisdom.

Hurricane season, which started June 1, is in full swing. Fortunately, there are none on the horizon yet that would impact this area.

This with the season's peak still ahead in the coming two months, emergency officials stress that now is the best time to prepare - during the calm before the storm.

In the 500 kHz Experiment quarterly report for the period ending May 2009, Experiment Coordinator Fritz Raab, W1FR, reported that since the experiment began in late 2006, 21 participating stations are currently active. The FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology granted the WD2XSH experimental license to the ARRL in September of that year. In this quarter, the FCC only issued one new experimental license for 500 kHz, WF2XAU to Roy Croston, AB4OM. The FCC renewed WD2XGI to Mike Reid, WE0H.

Duracell unveiled the latest broadcast commercials this month in its highly successful "Trusted Everywhere" advertising campaign. The 30-second and 15-second television spots depict the life-saving work of Air Life Denver, an emergency rescue transport service that uses a variety of vehicles including helicopters as well as high-tech personal devices to rescue families affected by severe weather. This year's campaign will also feature a 60-second radio spot that highlights the efforts of the WX4NHC, an amateur radio station located at the National Hurricane Center. WX4NHC is operated by a group of volunteer amateur radio operators who communicate critical severe weather information to first responders in remote storm locations across South Florida.

Trying to ignore the forest's wet heat, Leslie Dickey hunches over a picnic table, twirling a radio dial from one alien-sounding voice to another.

He's searching for new contacts, people he and his friends haven't yet spoken with today.