Ham radio operators ready to sign on for 71st year of fun
Ham radio operators ready to sign on for 71st year of fun, field tests
By MARY JO DIEM Special to the Journal Sentinel
Sunday, June 20, 2004
Ham radio operators from the Racine area will be powering up their systems to take part in a 24-hour test of emergency preparedness in the U.S. and Canada.
Members of the Racine Megacycle Club, a group of amateur radio enthusiasts, will participate in the 71st annual Field Day Saturday and next Sunday.
The first Field Day was held in 1933 as a test of portable equipment for U.S. and Canadian amateurs.
In 1934, Field Days focus shifted to a test of emergency preparedness.
The idea is to set up amateur radio stations, often in remote "field" locations, that operate over a 24-hour period and communicate with as many other hams as possible.
One could think of it as a game of "tag," where radio operators get extra points by touching base with the International Space station, which houses two hams, cosmonaut Gennady Padalka and astronaut Mike Fincke.
But its a serious game of tag, local hams point out.
While hams enjoy the camaraderie and the fun of Field Day, its balanced by the knowledge that radio communications can be crucial during disasters such as the Sept. 11 attacks.
Each ID tag that a ham operator wears is inscribed with that persons name and call sign and the motto: "When All Else Fails Amateur Radio."
Dan Miller, coordinator of the local Field Day, is a member of the Racine Megacycle Club and ARES, Amateur Radio Emergency Service.
"When I started out in ARES, the primary thing we did at the time was severe weather spotting," he said. "I was very interested in that and took all kinds of classes. But ever since 9-11, ARES and the amateur radio community have taken on a new mission.
"During a disaster, one of the first things that will get shut off is the phone lines. In New York, they didnt know which direction the terrorists were coming from, so they basically shut off all the phones and cell phones in outlying areas so they could not be used against us," he said.
"And the hams, within an hour, had set up an emergency communication system. Weve all been trained how to set up point-to- point communications, and we know how to interact with the authorities. They know what our capabilities are, and we know what they expect."
Larry McCalvy, president of the Racine Megacycle Club, said that in times of natural disasters, "Hams have their own setups so no matter what happens, theres always some ham operator that wasnt touched, that has emergency power, that has a radio that can communicate around the world and handle information."
On Field Day in Racine, there will be two main sites:
The Megacycle Club will be operating at the Racine Red Cross building, 4521 Taylor Ave.
The Racine chapter of the Quarter Century Wireless Association, an organization of hams who have been licensed at least 25 years, will be stationed at Decision Farms, 5400 Six Mile Road.
They will operate for 24 hours from noon Saturday to noon next Sunday. The events are open to the public.
The object is to rack up points by contacting as many other ham operators as possible, with extra points for distance.
"Weve made and gotten contacts from halfway around the world, but mostly in the U.S. and Canada. You give and receive name, call sign, location, signal strength, and youre gone," McCalvy said.
The Racine Megacycle Club, the second-oldest amateur radio club in Wisconsin, is open to everyone, regardless of knowledge of ham radios. For information on the club, visit www.w9udu.org.
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