Today we’d like to introduce you to Thomas M. Perrotti.
Hi Thomas M., please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Approximately five years ago, I was doing some work for my position as District Deputy in the Knights of Columbus, while in front of my Amateur Radio. I had been a Knight for about six years at that time. While I was doing paperwork, I realized that the letters K-O-C, for Knights of Columbus, looked similar to K-zero-C, which could be an Amateur Radio call sign.
From there, I thought I could run a Special Event Station, which entails trying to make as many over the air contacts with other Amateur Radio operators, including a short period of time. A Special Event Station usually commemorates or celebrates an event, and is often held on or near the anniversary of that event.
I presented my idea to the officers in New Jersey Knights of Columbus, with the intention of holding a Special Event Station at the New Jersey Knights of Columbus State Convention in Wildwood. Along with a dozen other New Jersey Knights of Columbus who are also Amateur Radio operators, we made over 2,000 contacts with other Amateur Radio operators around the world.
After that initial Special Event Station, we formed the New Jersey Knights of Columbus Amateur Radio Club. We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, and we have expanded into six others states, with members who are both Knights of Columbus and Amateur Radio operators.
We have since conducted over a dozen Special Event Stations, celebrating everything from the birth of our founder, Blessed Michael J. McGivney, to the installation of Pope Leo IV.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Trying to find Knights of Columbus who are also Amateur Radio operators has been challenging. There are about two million Knights worldwide, and around 58,000 in New Jersey Aproximately 750,000 Amateur Radio operators are licensed in the United States, approximately 14,000 of them in New Jersey. Trying to find, and recruit, members from these two varied communities, has been daunting, but in a positive way. We get to meet new Knights and new Amateur Radio operators, which is a good thing.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We exist to provide services to our priests, the Knights of Columbus, to provide reliable communications and examples of STEM through Amateur Radio–all for free.
What makes you happy?
Making radio contact with another Amateur Radio Operator from a country where I have never visited, and will never visit, having a conversation and living vicariously, even for a minute, makes me happy.
