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Ham Radio Field Day planned; event offers opportunity to see ham radio in action
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Along with more than 35,000 radio amateurs in the United States and Canada, ham radio operators in Lake County will participate in ARRL Field Day, an annual event that showcases the hobby.
From 11 a.m. Saturday, June 22, until 11 a.m. Sunday, June 23, local hams will gather in the parking lot of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce Visitor’s Center at George Hoberg’s Vista Point in Lakeport.
Members of the public are invited to stop by for demonstrations of radio communications and learn about what ham radio does for Lake County.
Local ham radio operator Jim Plank, also a Red Cross volunteer, encourages anyone interested to “Come find out how to communicate without a cell phone or the Internet.”
Knowledgeable local radio operators will be available to talk about and demonstrate various aspects of amateur radio including Morse code, use of local radio repeaters, long-distance communications using high frequency (HF) radios and newer options that combine radio and internet technologies.
ARRL Field Day is organized by the American Radio Relay League, a national organization comprised of more than 150,000 amateur radio operators.
This annual event is an opportunity for amateur radio operators to socialize, participate in contests to make as many over-the-air contacts as they can, and to share their hobby with others.
Amateur radio, often called “ham radio,” has been in existence for a century. On a day-to-day basis, it serves as an enjoyable hobby that combines technical skills with social networking.
Those skills are put to work on a regular basis to support bike races, walk-a-thons and other public events. Following disasters, ham radio communications play a critical role in emergency response.
Before getting on the air, radio operators must pass a written test and be licensed by the Federal Communications Commission.
Although referred to as “amateur,” hams must follow strict rules for use of the air waves and, with experience, they gain high levels of proficiency in the set up and use of radio equipment.
The hobby provides lifelong learning opportunities starting in children as young as 8 years of age and includes people from all walks of life.
There are 373 licensed hams listed as having Lake County addresses.
The Lake County Amateur Radio Society and the Nice Amateur Radio Club meet regularly, conduct frequent local activities, and welcome interested guests and new members.
For more information, visit http://lcarsofca.yolasite.com/ , https://sites.google.com/site/narcradioclubbiz/ and www.arrl.com .