Ham radio operators from the Fayette County Amateur Radio Club will be participating in a national amateur (ham) radio exercise from 2pm on Saturday until 2pm on Sunday, June 24 – 25 in Brooks, Georgia. The event is ARRL Field Day (https://www.arrl.org/FieldDay), an annual amateur radio activity organized since 1933 by ARRL, The National Association for Amateur Radio in the United States.
Hams from across North America ordinarily participate in Field Day by establishing temporary ham radio stations in public locations to demonstrate their skill and service. Their use of radio signals, which reach beyond borders, bring people together while providing essential communication in the service of communities. Field Day highlights ham radio’s ability to work reliably under any conditions from almost any location and create an independent, wireless communications network.
The Fayette County Amateur Radio Club (https://kk4gq.org) is an active organization of radio enthusiasts from all walks of life. The club provides backup, auxiliary communications to Fayette County Emergency Services, National Weather Service Skywarn, as well as public service communications for road races, bike events, walk-a-thons, and triathlons.
The local Field Day event for Fayette County will be held at the Brooks Bears Football Field located at 905 Hwy 85 Connector, Brooks, GA 30205. Members of the public are invited to observe and participate at the event being staged.
Some of the activities planned for the 2023 Field Day event include:
- VHF radio contacts in the local area
- HF radio contacts from across the US and world
- Digital communications using radios and computers
- Satellite radio communications with the International Space Station
- Morse code and more
This year’s event is also noteworthy given that a particularly active hurricane season is predicted. “Hams have a long history of serving our communities when storms or other disasters damage critical communication infrastructure, including cell towers,” said Lynn Bianco, KN4YZ, Fayette County Amateur Radio Emergency Service Coordinator and Team Leader for Fayette County 911. “Ham radio functions completely independently of the internet and phone systems and a station can be set up almost anywhere in minutes. Hams can quickly raise a wire antenna in a tree or on a mast, connect it to a radio and power source, and communicate effectively with others,” Bianco added.
During Field Day 2022, more than 26,000 hams participated from thousands of locations across North America. According to ARRL, there are more than 750,000 amateur radio licensees in the US, and an estimated 3 million worldwide. Among the tenets of the Amateur Radio Service is developing and practicing skills in radio technology and radio communications, and even contributing to international goodwill. Hams range in age from as young as 9 to older than 100.
Members of the public are invited to stop by to visit and participate from 2pm-7pm on Saturday, June 24 and again from 10am-1pm on Sunday, June 25, 2023 at the Brooks Bears Football Field.
For more information about amateur (ham) radio or a complete schedule of 2023 Field Day activities, please visit the Fayette County Amateur Radio Club website https://kk4gq.org, the club Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/KK4GQ/, or contact Fayette County Amateur Radio Club President Bob Gibler, NF5F at bob.gibler@gmail.com.
