Amateur Radio “Field Day” June 25 and 26 Demonstrates Science, Skill, and Service

Members of the Keowee Toxaway Amateur Radio Club will be participating in the national Amateur Radio Field Day exercise, on June 25– 26, at South Cove County Park, Seneca. Since 1933, ham radio operators across North America have established temporary ham radio stations in public locations during Field Day to showcase the science and skill of Amateur Radio.

This event is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend.

For more than 100 years, Amateur Radio — also called ham radio — has allowed people from all walks of life to experiment with electronics and communications techniques, as well as provide a free public service to their communities during a disaster or emergency, all without needing a cell phone or the Internet.

Field Day demonstrates ham radio’s ability to work reliably under any conditions from almost any location and create an independent communications network. More than 35,000 people from thousands of locations participated last year in Field Day activities.

Hams can literally throw a wire in a tree for an antenna, connect it to a battery-powered transmitter, and communicate halfway around the world.

In today’s electronic environment, ham radio remains one of the best ways for people to learn about electronics, physics, meteorology, and numerous other scientific disciplines. In addition, amateur radio is a huge asset to any community during severe weather, disasters, or emergencies if the standard communication infrastructure goes down.

Anyone may become a licensed Amateur Radio operator. There are more than 725,000 licensed hams in the United States, as young as 9 and as old as 100. With groups such as the Keowee Toxaway Amateur Radio Club, it’s easy for anybody to get involved right here in Oconee County.

For more information about Field Day or Amateur Radio, contact Rick Davis at [email protected] or visit www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio.