Hams on air for national radio event

BASCOM — Ham radio operators from the Seneca Radio Club in Tiffin will be participating in a national amateur radio exercise from 2 p.m. Saturday, June 28, to 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 29, at the Evergreen Building in Meadowbrook Park, Bascom. Everyone of all ages and experience levels is welcome to come and learn more about radio technology. The event is ARRL Field Day, an annual amateur radio activity organized since 1933 by the National Association for Amateur Radio in the United States. "We will have a station set up for anyone to get on the air, despite not being licensed," explained Scott Bryant (Call sign AC8SB), president of Seneca Radio Club. "We will have literature for people to review on how to get started in ham radio." The Seneca Radio Club looks forward to contacting as many people as possible on Field Day. Around Meadowbrook Park, radio operators will set up several portable stations. Some will be using voice communications, some will use computer-aided digital signals, and others will use CW, otherwise known as continuous wave or Morse Code. 'Hams' is the nickname for amateur radio operators. Many hams have portable radio communication capability that includes alternative energy sources such as generators, solar panels and batteries to power their equipment. 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 club explained that this year's event is 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 Bryant. "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." During Field Day 2024, more than 31,000 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. Bryant's favorite part of the radio club is the community. "I was welcomed to the club on the first visit and was treated like we were all the oldest of friends from that day," he shared. "I've learned many things from many members, but the most valuable of these is the camaraderie and the time that people dedicate to this hobby. I have developed friendships that I would never have imagined happening and know that there's always someone in my corner ready to answer a question when I need them." Hams range in age from as young as 9 to older than 100. A self-study license guide is available from ARRL at their website www.arrl.org For more information about ARRL Field Day, contact the Seneca Radio Club at W8ID.org