KA6OAM

Tommie Flanagan

Tommie Flanagan (KA6OAM) first became exposed to, and interested in, Ham Radio in the early seventies when she and husband Steve (Flip - N6AHN) were in Hawaii visiting on a friend's boat. During cocktails, the friend asked if they would like to call any of their family in San Diego on the radio. Being dumb and happy, they said "sure", not having a clue what he was talking about. He went on 20 meters (or so he said) and put out a CQ for San Diego. Lo and behold - someone answered immediately, and even had a phone patch. So, the next thing they knew, they were talking to Tommie's sister. The radio bug bit Tommie big time. They were in the process of preparing their boat to go cruising, so Tommie immediately enrolled in night school to get her ham license. She built her first transceiver, a Heathkit tube-model, and Flip installed it on the boat. She did have trouble passing the code - it took her 3 tries.

They took off in the fall of 1975 for Mexico and the South Pacific, where they kept regular radio schedules with friends and weekly phone patches with family. They had 2 of their children with them for this trip. The kids did not like it when Tommie talked on the radio because, like so many auto pilots, theirs kinda went nuts when the radio transmitted; so the kids had to steer.

Upon their return to San Diego, Tommie opened a chandlery on Shelter Island, and soon thereafter, Flip joined her in the business. They installed a radio in the store where they kept track of the cruisers up and down the coast. When the severe storm hit Cabo San Lucas in the early eighties, they were the communications center for the 28 boats. One of their friends, who had the schooner "White Cloud", was in Cabo during this time. They managed to stay off the beach and save their boat by powering at anchor into the surf all night. Susan (N6HFD) was in constant communication with Steve & Tommie 8 hours a day for 3-4 days. Because of amateur radio, families of the folks involved in the disaster were able to get an update re: their loved-ones. Tommie and Steve received approximately 40 phone calls from all over the U.S. and Canada requesting information. The news media, TV, and newspapers were getting their information from them. A poster was made with all 28 boats listed. It was updated daily and displayed in the store so that anyone could see the status of a particular vessel. This was maintained for 3 weeks until all the boats were off the beach, scuttled, or disposed of in some manner.

After selling the chandlery and retiring, Steve & Tommie did a bit more cruising up and down the coast of Baja and Mainland Mexico several times - always active in Ham Radio. They even met the Mexican equivalent to the director of the FCC, XE1A. He had 28 miles of beachfront property on the Mainland and, on 2 different occasions, he hosted them to a nice fiesta at his house. He drove them to town for groceries and allowed them to anchor in his beautiful private cove behind a small island. 

Flip & Tommie have both remained active in amateur radio; he more in the technical and installation, and she in the yappie end. In order to get on the radio, Flip first has to get a crowbar and pry the mic out of Tommie's hands. A few years back, Ralph (N6ADJ), the manager of the Baja net, asked Tommie if she would like to be a net controller. She accepted and took over Wednesdays. Except for occasional times when she was too far "out of the loop", you have been able to hear her voice on the Baja Net every Wednesday.

They have since sold their cruising boat and are now doing their travelling in their motorhome and using a small, 21' boat that they keep down at Puerto Escondido in the Baja. Can't get too far away from the water. They have radios installed in both the motorhome and the small boat.

Daughter, Sylvia (WW6SF) is also active in the radio hobby. Out of the family of 5, 3 of them are licensed hams. They have met and made lifelong friends because of ham radio.

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