COBB ISLAND, Md. — On Dec. 23, 2025, the Charles County Amateur Radio Club (CCARC) braved the cold and commemorated inventor Reginald Aubrey Fessenden’s achievement by performing the same transmission in the same area where Fessenden once did via radio.
The BayNet had the chance to speak to Bob, president of the Charles County Amateur Radio Club.
“It’s an important part of history,” Bob said when asked why the CCARC was holding the event. “It’s also a bit of fun,” he added with a grin. “But it also has its practical uses,” he said resolutely. Cobb Island is small and sometimes floods, and with a single bridge connecting it to the mainland, knowing how to operate a radio could be helpful in an emergency.
When other group members were asked why they celebrated the day, they shared similar sentiments. They agreed it was important to remember the birth of human speech translated into radio and the beginning of a new era of communication that shaped the world for generations — all from this small island in Southern Maryland.
Members were also asked what attracted them to the hobby of operating a radio. Dennis, a retired bus mechanic, said, “I just love to tinker. It’s fun,” adding that he found it to be a practical skill in emergencies. Others were drawn to the technology itself.
“I just really love the technology aspect,” said Brad, one of the club members. “And it’s great if you love the outdoors — people doing backcountry hikes can carry one with them.”
The vice president of the CCARC, also named Bob, shared a story about why he enjoys amateur radio.
“I remember setting up in a gas station one night,” he said with a grin, “and reaching out and connecting with a person in Tasmania. It was the coolest thing. Reaching out into the void like that and picking up a person on the other side — it felt like magic.”
But what truly felt magical to witness was how the radio club came together as a team in the harsh weather conditions, smiles on their faces, with no one there but a few curious reporters and each other. Members set up antennas and demonstrations, operated and tested radios like trained professionals, and eagerly answered BayNet’s questions while inviting others to join their camaraderie of radio operators.
Whether Fessenden knew he would change the world that day is unknown. What is clear is that he certainly brought people together — not just through radio waves, but through a dedicated community more than 125 years later.
Readers interested in learning more about Reginald Fessenden, the history of Cobb Island or the Charles County Amateur Radio Club can visit The BayNet’s previous article, “125 Years Later, Cobb Island Honors Birthplace of Wireless Voice Communication,” or the Charles County Amateur Radio Club website.
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