Ham Radio Still Alive And Kicking In Wyoming
Casey Freund of Thermopolis, Wyoming, goes by the call sign KC7E, but that’s not his TikTok handle. He’s one of the few who don’t need Wi-Fi or smartphones to keep in touch with civilization. He’s a ham radio operator.

Jackie Dorothy
August 25, 2024 • 7 min read


Ham operator Casey Freund makes a handshake, slang for making a quick contact, to another park across the nation. (Courtesy Dean King)

THERMOPOLIS — Surrounded by the green grass tranquility of Hot Springs State Park, a temporary ham radio antenna reached into the sky.

Here, amateur radio operator Casey Freund sat in the shade at a park picnic table along with his ham radio, laptop and portable power supply. He was ready to communicate on a device that had its start more than 100 years ago, and was essential to civilization before Wi-Fi and smartphones.

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Jackie Dorothy can be reached at jackie@cowboystatedaily.com.