Dozens of Benton and Bryant Amateur Radio operators will work ‘round the clock this weekend to set up field radio communication stations, get on the air, and contact thousands of other operators in the U.S., Canada, Central and South America as part of participation in the American Radio Relay League’s Field Day.
According to Fred Shay, Benton Amateur Radio Society, Field Day is the annual “shakedown run” for the ARRL’s National Field Organization.
“Field Day is a way for hams to get outdoors and have fun under some difficult conditions,” Fred Shay says. “But it is also a chance to fine-tune emergency communication skills. We use generators and battery power, and we set up antennas in the field. The idea is to put together a self-sufficient, working station quickly and begin making contacts.”
The ARRL Field Organization has been effective in establishing emergency communications nets during floods, hurricanes, fires, earthquakes and other major disasters, such as the tornado that hit our area March 1, 1997. Members of formal emergency organizations such as the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and the Radio Amateur Communication Emergency Services (RACES) regularly participate. The League estimates that more than 35,000 hams participate in Field Day every year.
The Benton Amateur Radio Society’s Field Day operations will be at Mill’s Park in Bryant. Set up begins at 9:00 am on Saturday, June 27, 2009. The public is invited. For more information, contact Jerry Sparrow, (501) 847-3893.
