Radio Signals for Ministry

by Hugo Bravo

Some volunteers discover The Salvation Army during difficult times, at job service events, or through their presence in the community. But Harry Bauder, an experienced ham radio operator, got involved with the Army after catching a ham radio signal from SATERN, the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network.

SATERN is a global team of ham radio operators throughout The Salvation Army territories worldwide who specialize in communicating during national disasters. Bauder learned about SATERN and its work done with The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services (EDS). It began as SAROF (Salvationist Amateur Radio Operators Fellowship) in the 1950s and operated under Major Carl J. Lindstrom. His team of Salvationists and radio operators provided important communications during emergencies. In 1988, SAROF was relaunched as SATERN.

Today, SATERN partners with the Hurricane Watch Net, an organization that tracks storms within 300 miles of landfall. SATERN can take reports from any affected areas and forward them to the National Hurricane Center in Florida.

“In the event of a storm approaching, the average ham radio users in the area are too busy protecting their homes and families. These folks are the ones who benefit from connecting with SATERN and The Salvation Army,” says Bauder, the assistant coordinator for SATERN in the Eastern Territory.

Every week, SATERN hosts programs on getting acquainted with new technology, forms for licenses, and new procedures. It’s a fellowship that Bauder, who developed an interest in radio at an early age, values as just one of his volunteer roles. He also helps maintain the summer camps and the warehouse at the Harrisburg Corps in Pennsylvania.

“I always knew about and respected the Army’s work, and I feel honored to be a part of their ministries,” says Bauder.

Positive messaging

Bauder brought his lifelong experience with ham radio to SATERN. He introduced Winlink, an e-mail service for radio, so members wouldn’t miss important messages while at their day jobs. Bauder was familiar with Winlink through his church and friends on Radio Lumière, a Christian radio station based out of Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

“With Winlink, messages can be transferred through frequencies, even when people are not sitting at their radio,” says Bauder. “If cellphone service is overwhelmed, Winlink can send a message through a server, hold it until the receiver checks in, and then forward it to his address.”

The first time Bauder used Winlink through SATERN, he got 78 check-ins, not all of them Salvation Army contacts.

“I didn’t realize that there was so much activity at that time,” says Bauder. “It gave me a chance to talk about the work that The Salvation Army was doing.”

But Bauder doesn’t just promote the Army over radio waves. Every year, SATERN is a presence at the Dayton Hamvention, an annual ham radio convention that welcomes thousands of ham radio users looking to purchase new technology, pass license exams, and fraternize with the ham radio community. Everyone he meets gets to hear about the Army’s radio division, and in turn, he hears stories about how The Salvation Army has impacted their lives.

“A man shared that he had gone out to a bar with some Vietnam veterans in Washington, D.C. The next day, he woke up in a strange room with no memory of how he got there,” says Bauder. “He was scared, because he had been carrying a gun for work and did not have it on him anymore.”

Then, a man walked in and assured him that his gun was safely locked away. He introduced himself as a Salvation Army officer; they were inside a corps. The corps officer had found the man drunk and passed out on the street. The man was so grateful that he vowed to never drink again. To this day, says Bauder, the man sends a monthly donation to The Salvation Army.

“When people ask me what they can do to help,” says Bauder, “I never go straight to talking about ham radio or joining SATERN.

“I say to first find a Salvation Army church close to you. Introduce yourself and ask how you can volunteer your time. After you know them and they know you, then ask about becoming part of their territory’s SATERN team.”

New wave

At 78 years old, Harry Bauder says being part of SATERN is too much fun to stop, even in retirement. He hopes to continue participating for a few more years to train the next generation of radio operators. With young people taking an interest in older media, such as video tapes and vinyl, ham radio can introduce them to a new way to help and serve.

“Amateur radio and SATERN are made up of mostly old guys and girls,” says Bauder. “We need young people to see how important this work is during emergency situations. Some may not think that it’s needed, but when something big occurs, cellphone lines and 911 get all tied up. That’s when they do need us.”