Ham radio operators conduct field day

By Emily Marner
Posted 2/1/23

The Washington Area Amateur Radio Club kicked off their 20th anniversary with their biannual 24-hour Winter Field Day, on Saturday, Jan. 28. The club held the event at the Washington County …

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Ham radio operators conduct field day

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The Washington Area Amateur Radio Club kicked off their 20th anniversary with their biannual 24-hour Winter Field Day, on Saturday, Jan. 28. The club held the event at the Washington County Fairgrounds ISU Extension in their heated communications trailer. The purpose of the exercise was to test the members’ skills with ham radio operation during inclement weather.

If emergency/disaster scenarios occur and all basic lines of communication are compromised, ham radio becomes essential. These radio operators can be utilized remotely at emergency shelters, hospitals, police stations, evacuation sites, and more. 

Since the late 1970’s, ham radio has not been used nor needed much, mainly because no nationwide emergency has warranted it. But that does not stop people and clubs like the WAARC from learning, training, and testing their ham radio operation skills.

“When the emergency arises, it will be an emergency skill, but for now, for us it’s a hobby. One for us -- people from Riverside, Wellman, Washington -- to get together and have fun,” explains WAARC Vice President, John Bush.

The club started their 24-hour winter field day in the early morning on Saturday, setting up their communication equipment needed for the event. The exercise began at 1 p.m. on Saturday and continued until 1 p.m. Sunday. 

Besides putting the club members’ skills to the test, the exercise gave them the opportunity to interact with other organizations and individuals across the country. Through two different types of stations, digital and voice, the members can tune into hundreds of different frequencies. 

Their primary goal is to see how many frequencies they can tune in to. Once they are tapped in, they have two tasks: acknowledge and respond. These acknowledgments can be translated as receipts, called QSL cards, which are very popular amongst ham operators to collect. 

Not only does the WAARC host two biannual 24-hours field experiences, but they also participate in community events. The club has offered their expertise at the Kewash Trail Half Marathon, stationing themselves along the trail in case something like a medical emergency arises. 

President Mark Lukins revived the club in 2003; it previously ran for 16 years after its start in 1963. Lukins has built a strong club with passionate members and relevant technology. The club has been able to secure its equipment through retired ham operators and grants from local communities.

“Technology has really made leaps and bounds, and that is technology, always growing, progressing into something better. A lot of the things that are available for consumer electronics were originally developed by ham radio operators,” Lukins explains. 

The WAARC will continue to celebrate their 20th anniversary by practicing this “lost art” of communication; the group plans to reconvene for another 24-hour field day in the summer.