(TNS) - Facetime, Zoom, Google Meets — and ham radio.

Video conferencing may have come into prominence during the coronavirus pandemic as part of the effort to stay connected. But in contrast to the virtual online spaces where many convene, some central Ohioans are instead taking to the airwaves.

The Madison County Amateur Radio Club has expanded its weekly "nets" — a channel for multiple radios to use for communication — to almost every night, giving its members a space to entertain, educate and converse with each other. The radio club, made up of about 60 licensed amateur radio operators in Madison County and central Ohio, first expanded its "nets" in late March following Gov. Mike DeWine's initial stay-at-home order.

"For me, it's important to have contact with the outside world, and I assume it's the same for other people," said Mark Erbaugh, the club's secretary who spearheaded the expanded programming.
Erbaugh, 65, who lives in London, west of Columbus, especially saw the importance of the increased radio nets when it became apparent that the club's monthly in-person gatherings would be postponed indefinitely.

Prior to the stay-at-home order, the club's weekly "nets" drew about a dozen or so members who checked in to mostly discuss topics related to amateur radio operating. Now, the near-nightly offering — lovingly called "the Cabin Fever Nets" — draws upward of 20 listeners tuning in for over-the-air moderated discussions on a variety of topics.

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