Published: June 24, 2009 10:05 pm      

Local ‘hams’ planning radio Field Day this weekend

Amateur operators often first to provide rescuers with critical communications during disasters

CUMBERLAND — Local area “hams” will join with thousands of amateur radio operators who will be displaying their emergency capabilities this weekend.

Over the past year, the news has been full of reports with ham radio operators providing critical communications during unexpected emergencies in towns across America, including winter storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, the California wildfires and other events worldwide.

During Hurricane Katrina, amateur radio — often called “ham radio” — was often the only way people could communicate, and hundreds of volunteer hams traveled south to save lives and property. When trouble is brewing, amateur radio’s people are often the first to provide rescuers with critical communications.

The public will have a chance to meet and talk with Allegany County ham radio operators Satur;day and Sunday and see for themselves what the amateur radio service is all about.

Showing the newest digital and satellite capabilities, voice communications and even historical Morse code, hams from across the country will be holding public demonstrations of emergency communications capabilities.

The annual event, called Field Day, is the climax of the weeklong Amateur Radio Week sponsored by the American Radio Relay League.

Using only emergency power supplies, ham operators will construct emergency stations in parks, shopping malls, schools and backyards around the country. A slogan coined by many of the agencies they serve, “When All Else Fails, Ham Radio Works” 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.

In the Cumberland area, Mountain Amateur Radio Club will be participating during the exercise at LaVale Lions Field on Braddock Road.

The public may stop by to see ham radio’s new capabilities and learn how to get their own FCC radio license before the next disaster strikes.

To learn more about amateur radio, go to www.emergency-radio.org, or locally at www.hamtalk.org MARC can be contacted by e-mail at W3YMW@arrl.net, or regular mail at P.O. Box 234, Cumberland, MD 21501-0234.