Ham radio always seems to find its way into popular culture, and we here at OnAllBands love every single minute of it. To us, it’s a great reminder of just how important the hobby is. So, with that in mind, we found three ways amateur radio has recently made it into the pop lexicon.
“The Walking Dead” Season 8—“Dead or Alive or…”
Ham radio? In a zombie apocalypse? Seems about right. To our knowledge, this is actually the first time the hobby was represented on camera in the show, which seems crazy to us.
That’s okay because the episode “Dead or Alive or…” uses it as one of its primary MacGuffins. Having escaped a brutal human colony, two people run into a shack that belonged to an unnamed ham radio operator who was searching for other survivors during the days after the outbreak. They discover his equipment and a script he had been reading repeatedly to anyone who might hear—a message of hope.
We won’t spoil the rest of the episode for you, even though the show’s been out for years. The good news is, if you haven’t watched it already, “The Walking Dead” is well worth your time.
“The Walking Dead”: No Man’s Land Gacha Game
Ham radio takes a more prominent role in the The Walking Dead Gacha Game. Gacha, for those unaware, is a method of monetization that’s akin to a Japanese toy vending machine called gachapon, where everything is randomized and you need to spend money to get what you want. Basically, you have to play the game to get virtual currency to buy more things that allow you to play the game. In this case, the currency is radios. The more radios you have (even hundreds!) earns you upgrades, blueprints, and limited-time equipment.
Who would want that many radios? Right?
Colombian Armed Conflict with FARC
We all know of the serious applications that both ham radio and Morse code have. They’re vital in situations like natural disasters and other humanitarian crises. That includes armed conflicts. One such instance where it was used in a creative way was during a bitter 50-year armed conflict in Colombia between government forces and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). During that time, more than 21,396 people had been kidnapped by the rebels, most of whom were army soldiers and police officers. One such camp was discovered in 2010, where 16 soldiers had been held captive for nearly 12 years.
While the Colombian army knew about the camp (along with others) and were preparing to rescue the men, they had a problem. The FARC were known to eliminate their hostages at the first sign of trouble (a raid, for example). So, the army needed to devise a way to communicate to the hostages that help was on the way and they needed to prepare. Colonel Jose Espejo, who oversaw the campaign, heard from former hostages that radio was one of the only luxuries that they were given in captivity. He enlisted the help of advertisers Juan Carlos Ortiz, famous for his off-kilter advertising in anti-FARC campaigns. Together with another advertiser, Alfonso Diaz, they began tinkering with the idea of sending a message over the radio that only they understood.
As it just so happens, Colombian soldiers are trained in Morse code during their basic training. With that in mind, Espejo began working with music producers and musicians, like rock singer Angelo and actor Natalia Gutierrez, to produce a song with a hidden meaning of hope for the captives. The producers studied Morse code, how many words could be fit into a rhythm, and how many beats per minute it would take to hide it. They landed on using a synth to hide the message. Eight months later, they had a track. The Morse code message they included was simple: “19 people rescued. You’re next. Don’t lose hope.”
Because the Colombian government controlled the nation’s airwaves, they were able to put the song on more than 130 rural stations across Colombia. To make sure the radios were on for them, former hostages went on live TV to appeal to the rebels and give them access to the radio for a segment called “Voices of the Kidnapped,” which broadcasted messages from their loved ones to help reduce their feelings of isolation. The song was then played during those hours as an audio “Trojan horse” in tandem with commandos rescuing hostages from these camps.
The song was so effective that even members of FARC enjoyed it, without ever realizing the meaning within. In 2011, the operation was declassified and the song was entered into the Cannes Lions awards, where it took home the Golden Lion—a prestigious award recognizing exceptional creativity and effectiveness in advertising and marketing.
There you have it! More stories about how ham radio and Morse code are making a difference (or providing entertainment) across the world, whether folks realize it or not. It just goes to show the unseen (but heard) power that this hobby has over more than just those who take part in it.
The post Ham Radio and Morse Code in Popular Culture: From Zombies to Bringing Hope appeared first on OnAllBands.