Whenever she transmits her own image to Iraq, he "says he's really happy to see me," Bernardino said.

Sales of webcams have taken a noticeable jump in the past few weeks as more than 2,000 members of the Hawai'i Army National Guard prepare to join regular Army and Army Reserve soldiers — such as Staff Sgt. Bernardino — in Iraq.

On top of the cost of Internet service and cell-phone technology, Hawai'i-based soldiers are investing as little as $29 to receive real-time, computerized images of spouses and children back in Hawai'i.

The blip in webcam sales represents yet another sign of the transition in Hawai'i's economy and society as members the Hawai'i Army National Guard prepare to trade civilian life for a combat theater.

And the increased interest in webcams illustrates the ache of families to stay in touch despite the distance and the differences in time zones.

Comp USA usually averages 85 to 90 sales per month of its $99.99 webcam. The number of sales jumped to 136 from July 9 to Aug. 9, said Michael Torres, whose job title is "pricing and availability employee."

"July and August is usually slow for these products," Torres said. "We've been getting increasing interest from military folks who want webcams for their deployment."

Jacy Kuamoo, a computer department sales associate, has seen a similar increase at Circuit City, which sells eight different models that range from $29 to $89.

"I've helped a lot of soldiers lately who say they're going to deploy," Kuamoo said.

The Pearl Harbor Exchange carries two models — one for $47.99, the other for $97.99. "Maybe we'll sell one or two every couple of days," said computer section salesman Charles Denney. "Lately it's doubled and tripled. They're real popular."

The sharp increase in webcam sales is similar to a jump last year when soldiers from Schofield Barracks shipped out and were joined by Army reservists in March.

They're popular because live pictures from home can be even more valuable than e-mails and cell-phone calls amid the heat and danger of Iraq.

The technology doesn't always work. And the 14-hour time difference between Hawai'i and Iraq makes it tricky to synchronize moments when separated families can be online together.

But Col. Mark Chun got sold on the technology when he saw it in action while stationed in Balad, north of Baghdad. Chun, a dentist with the Hawai'i Army National Guard, just got back from a tour with the Connecticut National Guard where he saw webcams boost the spirits of soldiers when "you could see a face with a voice and it really made a difference for these guys to see their kids say, 'Hi.'"

The base exchange in Balad often received shipments of $20 to $30 webcams that sold out immediately. "They were a hot ticket," Chun said.

Teresa Bajo bought a pair of webcams three weeks ago at Schofield Barracks for $39. She got the idea when Schofield Barracks arranged a mass video conference between families and soldiers. Bajo was relieved to see the video images of her Army reservist husband, Sgt. Michael Bajo, who is in Iraq with the 411th Engineer Battalion.

Their children — ages 14, 9 and 5 — "were just so excited seeing daddy on the screen," Bajo said. "I said, 'We can do that.' "

But Bajo hasn't been able to send or receive images from home on her new webcam.

"It doesn't work," she said. "I guess you have to be on a certain system."

Alfredo Santayana, the Super-Geeks manager at the Navy Exchange, advises customers to try the free programs available through Yahoo or MSN.

Santayana uses webcams to communicate with his wife, Army Capt. Michelle Santayana, who is stationed in Iraq. But because of the time difference, they often just leave e-mails for one another.

Despite the complications, Maj. John Tanabe of the Hawai'i Army National Guard still plans to shop for webcams for his upcoming deployment as a dentist.

He wants to be able to see his wife, Marsha Iwahiro-Tanabe, and catch up on the news of their combined dental practice.

"I want us to be able to see each other," Tanabe said.