06/05/2026
From his apartment at Holiday Bluebird Estates, Joe can connect with people across the country – or across the world – with just a few clicks of his radio and the sound of his call sign: AB1YC.
“This is the original social network,” Joe said. “Long before there was an internet.”
An amateur radio enthusiast for decades, Joe has spoken with operators in Brazil, England and beyond. During a recent demonstration, he connected with another radio operator in Illinois in seconds, chatting about the hobby and introducing nearby listeners to the world of ham radio.
For Joe, amateur radio has always been about more than technology. It’s about education, friendship and curiosity.
After first getting licensed while working at the Science Museum of Long Island, Joe began teaching amateur radio to students and community groups. A lifelong educator with degrees in geology, earth science education and mathematics, he loved helping people discover something new. “I like talking to people, but I also like teaching,” he said.
That passion continues today at Bluebird Estates, where Joe regularly shares his hobby with fellow residents through demonstrations and classes. He’s even taught licensing courses over the years with a perfect success rate – every student he’s taught has passed.
Joe’s enthusiasm also extends beyond radio. Residents may recognize him from the community fitness classes he leads, where he combines warmups, weights and tai chi with plenty of humor along the way.
Whether he’s teaching exercise or explaining how signals can bounce off the moon, Joe brings the same energy to everything he does: a love of learning and a desire to connect people.
“People all over the world,” Joe said, smiling as another voice crackled through the speaker. “You get to talk to people you may never meet and be their closest friend.”
