When Bob Leavitt talks about amateur radio, he does so with the enthusiasm of an engineer, the patience of a teacher, and the practical mindset of someone who has seen what happens when modern communications fail.
In the era of smartphones, fiber-optic networks, and satellite internet, Leavitt believes there is still an essential role for what many people consider a relic from another age.
“When the phones don’t work and the internet is down, we can still communicate,” Leavitt said in an interview with the Estes Valley Voice.
For Leavitt and other members of the Estes Valley Amateur Radio Club, that capability is more than a hobby. It is a public service.
This weekend, local operators will join thousands of amateur radio enthusiasts across the country for the annual Field Day exercise starting June 27. The 24-hour event combines technical demonstration, emergency preparedness, and public outreach.
The Estes Valley group will operate from the Estes Park Memorial Observatory, inviting visitors to see how radio operators can communicate around the world using portable equipment and independent power sources.
From Nebraska engineer to mountain radio operator
Leavitt, 75, moved to Estes Park with his wife, Connie, after the couple purchased a home in Carriage Hills in 2010. They relocated permanently in 2014 after he retired from a career in telecommunications and information technology.
Raised in Lincoln, Nebr., Leavitt began his career as a computer programmer for Lincoln Telephone, an independent phone company serving southeastern Nebraska. Over 26 years, he advanced into management, overseeing teams of programmers and translating technical concepts for executives.
“I could understand what the programmers were saying and explain it to management,” said Leavitt, who was able to write code for the phone company. Over the years, the company changed ownership several times, becoming part of larger firms including Alltel and Verizon.
After retiring, Leavitt worked for a smaller software company and continues to write software and build websites as a volunteer. That technical background made amateur radio a natural fit.
After moving to Estes Park, Leavitt researched the area’s development and wrote “A History of the Southern Estes Valley With Special Emphasis on Carriage Hills,” published by the Estes Park Museum Friends and Foundation, Inc. Press. The book traces the history of early settlement and land ownership and a battle over a bid to annex the Carriage Hills neighborhood, most of which is in unincorporated Larimer County, into the Town of Estes Park.
What is ham radio?
Amateur radio, often called ham radio, allows licensed operators to communicate using designated radio frequencies assigned by the Federal Communications Commission.
The term “ham,” Leavitt said, likely dates to the early 20th century, when professional radio operators derisively referred to amateurs as “ham-fisted,” because they were less skilled at Morse code. The nickname stuck.
Today, amateur radio operators use voice, digital modes, Morse code, and satellites to communicate locally and worldwide.
The FCC offers three license classes: Technician, General, and Amateur Extra. Each level grants additional operating privileges and access to more frequencies. Leavitt holds the highest license class, Amateur Extra.
Why ham radio still matters
Modern communications systems are robust, but they remain vulnerable.
Estes Park has significantly improved its telecommunications infrastructure since the 2013 flood, when the community was cut off from the outside world, and internet and phone service largely failed.
At the time, amateur radio operators staffed the Estes Park Fire Station and relayed messages to the Larimer County Emergency Operations Center.
Residents and stranded visitors could write messages for friends and relatives. Operators transmitted those messages by radio to county officials, who used telephones to call family members around the country.
“Your people up in Estes Park are okay,” Leavitt recalled the messages saying. For many families, that was the only way to receive confirmation that loved ones were safe.
The same capability has been used during wildfires and other emergencies when communication systems become overloaded or damaged. “We may not be the only source of communication,” Leavitt said, “but in some cases, we’re the best source.”
Vulnerabilities remain
Even with redundant fiber-optic lines connecting Estes Park to the Front Range, communication risks persist. Cell towers can be damaged by fire. Power outages can disable equipment. And during emergencies, systems can be overwhelmed as thousands of people try to call simultaneously.
“The systems are not designed to handle maximum load all the time,” Leavitt said.
Amateur radio provides an independent alternative.
Operators can communicate directly using portable radios, local repeaters, and, when conditions allow, signals that bounce off the ionosphere to reach distant locations.
The Estes Valley Amateur Radio Club also works through Amateur Radio Emergency Service, or ARES, a nationwide volunteer organization that coordinates with public safety agencies. The local organization has memorandums of understanding with the Town of Estes Park and the Larimer County Office of Emergency Management. Members do not self-deploy.
“We get deployed by a served agency,” Leavitt said.
Inspiring the next generation
Leavitt and fellow club members have partnered with Estes Park schools to introduce students to radio technology. Middle school teacher Ravi Davis and elementary teacher Polly Greenblatt both earned their amateur radio licenses in 2021 and helped middle school students participate in on-air events.
In 2021, the club worked with students to communicate directly with astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The project, coordinated through Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, required months of preparation, grants, and specialized equipment, garnering national attention and coverage from Denver television stations.
Students have also participated in school club roundups, making contact with other schools across the United States and abroad.
“We had students talking to Europe and Central America and Canada,” Leavitt said. The next goal is to help students communicate via amateur radio satellites.
This past year, a Sunday morning group of parents and students came together to promote students’ involvement with amateur radio. Several parents and students passed the FCC licensing test.
Field Day: preparedness meets public education
The annual ARRL Field Day, sponsored by the American Radio Relay League, runs for 24 hours, from noon Saturday to noon Sunday, June 27 to 28. The Estes Valley Amateur Club will participate from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday.
The event is part contest and part emergency exercise, challenging operators to make as many contacts as possible while demonstrating their ability to operate under simulated disaster conditions.
“It’s less a contest and more a chance to show people what we do,” Leavitt said.
The Estes Valley Amateur Radio Club typically has about 30 members. Its call sign, which is a unique identifier assigned by the FCC, is N0FH. Visitors to Field Day can observe live radio contacts, tour equipment setups, and learn how amateur radio works. Licensed operators who stop by may also have the chance to get on the air.
More than a hobby
For Leavitt, amateur radio combines technical curiosity, public service, and lifelong learning.
He still studies Morse code, fascinated by its efficiency and resilience. Under poor conditions, Morse code can often get through when voice communications fail. The same spirit that drove early radio pioneers continues to motivate operators today.
“It keeps the saw sharp,” Leavitt said.
Whether helping students speak with astronauts, relaying messages during disasters, or talking to someone halfway around the world, Leavitt sees amateur radio as both timeless and relevant. In a world increasingly dependent on complex digital infrastructure, the ability to communicate independently remains a valuable skill.
And when the next emergency cuts the lines that connect Estes Park to the outside world, local ham radio operators will be ready. For more information about the Estes Valley Amateur Radio Club, visit EVARC.net.
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