CLEARFIELD – Amateur Radio volunteers from Clearfield, Jefferson, Elk and Cameron Counties will join with thousands of other “hams” nationwide to showcase their emergency communication capabilities the weekend of June 25-26. Over the past year, the news has carried many reports of ham radio operators providing vital communications during emergencies across America including wildfires, winter storms, tornadoes and other events. During Hurricane Katrina, Amateur Radio—also called “ham” radio”—was often the only means of communication with stricken areas. When trouble is brewing, Amateur Radio volunteers are often the first to provide rescuers with critical information and communications.
On the weekend of June 25-26, the public will have the opportunity to meet and talk with members of The Quad-County Amateur Radio Club, and take part in the on-the-air operation of Amateur Radio equipment. Using a combination of the latest satellite and digital communication systems, voice and even Morse code, hams across the country will conduct public demonstrations of their ability to set up global communication installations and make contact with other such deployments.
This annual event, called “Field Day” has taken place every June since 1933, and is the culmination of the week-long “Amateur Radio Week” sponsored by the American Radio Relay League, the national association for Amateur Radio. Ham radio volunteers will set up emergency communications facilities in parks, shopping malls, emergency centers and back yards across the country. Their slogan, “When all else fails, Ham Radio works!” is more than just words to the hams as they prove they can get the message through without the need of telephone, cable, cellular or internet systems which are usually rendered unavailable in a crisis. Last year, more than 35,000 licensed Radio Amateurs took part in Field Day.
“We hope that people will come and see for themselves, this is not your grandfather’s radio anymore,” said Allen Pitts, W1AGP, of the ARRL. “The communications that ham radio volunteers can quickly provide has saved many lives when other systems failed or were overloaded. And besides that–it’s fun!”
In the local area, members of The Quad-County Amateur Radio Club will be demonstrating Amateur Radio at the Clearfield Fairgrounds in the Old Town Sportsmen Pavilion from 2:00 pm Saturday, June 25 until 2:00 pm Sunday, June 26. They invite the public to come and experience the capabilities Amateur Radio offers today. A special station will be set up for use by any visitor without an Amateur Radio license, and all visitors are encouraged to try their hand at making contacts with other stations on the air with the friendly guidance of a licensed Amateur. A certificate will be awarded to every visitor who successfully completes contacts. Other family-friendly activities are planned as well, including radio “fox hunting” using portable direction-finding equipment to find hidden transmitters.
There are over 600,000 licensed Radio Amateurs in the United States and more than 2.5 million worldwide. Through the Amateur Radio Emergency Services program, ham radio volunteers provide emergency communications for thousands of state and local emergency response agencies, and non-emergency communications support for events in communities all over the country, all for free.
For more information about Amateur Radio, please visit the Quad-County Amateur Radio Club website at www.qcarc.org or the ARRL at www.arrl.org.
