Local radio hams to participate in annual Field Day
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"Radio Hams" from Clinton and Highland Counties will join forces at the Levo Farm near New Vienna the weekend of June 25-26 and join thousands of amateur radio operators who will be testing their emergency capabilities this weekend. This annual event, called "Field Day," is the climax of a week recognizing the role amateur radio plays in worldwide communications. Ohio Governor John Kasich has designated June 25, 2011 as Amateur Radio Appreciation Day in the state.
Over the past year, the news has been full of reports of amateur radio, also known as ham radio, operators providing critical communications during unexpected emergencies across America and around the world. Most recently, Joplin, Mo. was hit by a major tornado, and for a time, ham radio was the only way people and government agencies could communicate. Hundreds of volunteer "hams" traveled on their own time and expense to help save lives and property as well as to assist Red Cross and Salvation Army communications. During the recent flooding of communities along the lower Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, hams were there to lend their support and experience. Ham radio also played an important role in the recent Japanese disaster until communications were able to be restored.
Using only emergency power, ham operators will construct emergency stations at various remote and public locations throughout the United States and Canada and attempt to contact other stations operating under similar conditions. Although it may appear to be a contest, it is actually a training exercise to make sure that "when all else fails, ham radio works." They actually test that they can send messages in many forms without the use of telephones, internet or any other infrastructure that can be compromised in a crisis.
The Highland and Clinton County Clubs will erect their antennas and stations and operate close to the highest point in Clinton County at a site near Snow Hill at 810 Levo Road, New Vienna. The exercise begins at noon on Saturday, June 25 and will continue to late Sunday afternoon.
"We hope that the public will come and see for themselves, ham radio is not your grandfather's radio anymore," Clinton County ARA President Mike Boyle said. "We will feature the newest digital and satellite capabilities, voice communications and perhaps even some historical Morse code."
Signs to the exercise site will be posted from SR 73 between New Vienna and Snow Hill.
Field Day is sponsored by the American Radio Relay League, of which both the Highland Amateur Radio Association and the Clinton County Amateur Radio Association are affiliates. There are approximately 700,000 people licensed within the United States as hams, according to the Federal Communications Commission, with 28,000 in Ohio. There are more than 2.5 million around the world. Just short of 200 people in Highland and Clinton Counties hold some class of an amateur radio license.
More Field Day information is available from either Boyle at 685-2031 or Highland Amateur Radio Association Vice President John Levo at 393-4951. To learn more about amateur radio and how to become licensed, visit www.arrl.org.[[In-content Ad]]
Over the past year, the news has been full of reports of amateur radio, also known as ham radio, operators providing critical communications during unexpected emergencies across America and around the world. Most recently, Joplin, Mo. was hit by a major tornado, and for a time, ham radio was the only way people and government agencies could communicate. Hundreds of volunteer "hams" traveled on their own time and expense to help save lives and property as well as to assist Red Cross and Salvation Army communications. During the recent flooding of communities along the lower Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, hams were there to lend their support and experience. Ham radio also played an important role in the recent Japanese disaster until communications were able to be restored.
Using only emergency power, ham operators will construct emergency stations at various remote and public locations throughout the United States and Canada and attempt to contact other stations operating under similar conditions. Although it may appear to be a contest, it is actually a training exercise to make sure that "when all else fails, ham radio works." They actually test that they can send messages in many forms without the use of telephones, internet or any other infrastructure that can be compromised in a crisis.
The Highland and Clinton County Clubs will erect their antennas and stations and operate close to the highest point in Clinton County at a site near Snow Hill at 810 Levo Road, New Vienna. The exercise begins at noon on Saturday, June 25 and will continue to late Sunday afternoon.
"We hope that the public will come and see for themselves, ham radio is not your grandfather's radio anymore," Clinton County ARA President Mike Boyle said. "We will feature the newest digital and satellite capabilities, voice communications and perhaps even some historical Morse code."
Signs to the exercise site will be posted from SR 73 between New Vienna and Snow Hill.
Field Day is sponsored by the American Radio Relay League, of which both the Highland Amateur Radio Association and the Clinton County Amateur Radio Association are affiliates. There are approximately 700,000 people licensed within the United States as hams, according to the Federal Communications Commission, with 28,000 in Ohio. There are more than 2.5 million around the world. Just short of 200 people in Highland and Clinton Counties hold some class of an amateur radio license.
More Field Day information is available from either Boyle at 685-2031 or Highland Amateur Radio Association Vice President John Levo at 393-4951. To learn more about amateur radio and how to become licensed, visit www.arrl.org.[[In-content Ad]]