TOWNSHEND — During the past year, reports have surfaced of ham radio operators providing critical communications in emergencies world-wide.
On the weekend of June 25 and 26, local residents will have a chance to meet and talk with ham radio operators and see for themselves what this “radio service” really is about, according to a news release.
The West River Radio Club will hold a demonstration of its emergency communications abilities in Townshend at 2099 Simpson Brook Rd., from 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 25, through 2 p.m., Sunday June 26.
This annual event, called “Field Day” is the climax of the weeklong “Amateur Radio Week” sponsored by the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL), the national association for amateur radio. Using only generators, batteries, or solar power, amateur radio operators, known as “hams,” construct emergency stations in parks, shopping malls, and backyards to test their skills under all situations.
The ARRL slogan, “Ham radio works when other systems don't!” is more than just words to the hams as they prove they can send messages in many forms without the use of phone systems, internet, or any other infrastructure that can be compromised in a crisis.
More than 30,000 amateur radio operators across the country participated in last year's event, according to ARRL.
“We hope that people will come and see for themselves, this is not your grandfather's radio anymore,” said John Borichevsky, secretary/treasurer of the West River Radio Club, in the news release. “We are a volunteer organization composed of folks within your local towns who participate in local emergency situations, provide radio communications for events like a Walk-a-Thon, and have the ability to communicate to people around the world."
Over the weekend, hams will be demonstrating continuous wave (CW), sideband, FM, and digital communications. Several clubs will also be experimenting with TV signals and very high frequency equipment.
There are 670,000 Amateur Radio operators in the US, and more than 2.5 million around the world. Through the ARRL, hams provide emergency communications for the Department of Homeland Security Citizens' Corps, Red Cross, Salvation Army, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and many state and local agencies.
The public is cordially invited to come meet and talk with the hams.