Amateur radio operators hold field day exercises

Licensed amateur radio operators, aka “hams,” spent a recent weekend practicing community outreach, emergency preparedness and technical skills.

Radio clubs all over the United States and Canada took their equipment outside, into the field to operate on emergency power, competing to earn points for making contacts around the world. They also had great food to keep up their energy for the 27-hour-long contest.

The first field day was held in 1933, and operator F.E. Hardy declared in a national magazine dedicated to the hobby, “The real objective of this contest is to test ‘portables’ wherever they may be available.”

This year, the W3LF Contesting Club, an organization within Sussex Amateur Radio Club, set up their equipment at Redden Forest just north of Georgetown. They used a shelter at the park, which turned out to be a great choice because it rained quite a lot.

While the rules have changed over the 88 years since 1933, the purpose is still to give ham operators a chance to work in emergency-like conditions. In the event of a disaster, hams using portable gasoline- or solar-powered electric generators or batteries can and do volunteer their services to local authorities.

“Field day gives us a chance to make sure we can meet the demands of an emergency and at the same time have some fun,” said Butch Wlaschin, president of the Sussex Amateur Radio Club. “We are still in the process of compiling the results of our three stations this year. But we worked with hams from coast to coast and as far away as Lithuania and Norway.”

For more information about local ham radio, go to sussexamateurradio.com.