(Posted June 14, 2018)
The Madison County Amateur Radio Club will participate in a national emergency communications preparedness exercise June 23-24.
The exercise, known as Field Day, involves setting up and operating emergency radio communications using amateur (ham) radio to communicate with similar operations throughout the country. The club will conduct its 2018 Field Day operations at Deercreek Township Hall, 75 Middle St., Lafayette, beginning at 2 p.m. June 23 and operating for up to 24 hours.
Operations will include digital messaging, as well as voice and Morse Code communications. Madison County club members will demonstrate the “magic” of ham radio by contacting hams across the country while using wire antennas, low-power radios and emergency power.
The public is invited to see modern amateur radio technology in action and learn about the hobby. Club members will be available to answer questions, provide literature and even help you get on the air. Best visiting times are from 2 to 6 p.m. June 23 and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 24.
Field Day is sponsored by ARRL, the national association for amateur radio, and has been an annual event since 1933. This year’s operations are expected to involve over 40,000 ham radio operators from across North America.
Often using only emergency power supplies, ham operators construct and operate emergency stations in parks, shopping malls, schools and backyards around the country. Their slogan, “When All Else Fails, Ham Radio Works,” is demonstrated by hams who can send messages in many forms without using phone systems, Internet or any other infrastructure that can be compromised in a crisis. The event combines public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach and technical skills.
Modern amateur radio is a fast-growing hobby. Ohio is home to nearly 28,000 licensed amateurs. Across the United States, that number tops 750,000. Across the world, its 2.5 million. Through ARRL’s Amateur Radio Emergency Services program, volunteers provide emergency communication for thousands of state and local emergency response agencies and non-emergency communications services to a wide variety of community and civic organizations, all without cost to the public.
Go to arrl.org/field-day for details.
