Rolla amateur radio operators to have Field Day June 22-23

Rolla area amateur radio operators will work around the clock the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, June 22-23, to participate in the American Radio Relay League's Field Day.

Alex Chinn watching his dad, Ron (NA0Q) make a contact at the digital station.

Submitted Photo - Alex Chinn watching his dad, Ron (NA0Q) make a contact at the digital station.

By Staff Reports
Posted Jun. 20, 2013 @ 9:00 am

Rolla area amateur radio operators will work around the clock the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, June 22-23, to participate in the American Radio Relay League's Field Day.

Amateur radio operators will set up field radio communication stations, get on the air and contact hundreds of other amateur operators, also known as hams, in the U.S. and Canada as part of the event.

Field Day operations will take place at Pavilion No. 15 at the Rolla Lions Club Park on Highway 63 South in Rolla. Setup begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 22, and on-air operations will be from 1 p.m. Saturday until 1 p.m. Sunday.

Licensed amateur radio operators as well as unlicensed visitors are welcome and may participate.

The objective is to see who can make the highest number of contacts during the contest period.

Field Day is the annual "shakedown run" for the American Radio Relay League's national field organization. Field Day is a competition as well as a "trial run" for emergency communication skills used during disaster situations.

Field Day is a way for hams to get outdoors and have fun under some difficult conditions. It's also a chance to test and improve amateur radio operators' emergency communication skills.

The Rolla Regional Amateur Radio Society will use generators and battery power to simulate operation in a remote area and in emergency conditions and will set up antennas in the field. The challenge is to put together a self-sufficient, working radio station quickly and begin making contacts with other radio operators.

The American Radio Relay League field organization has been effective in establishing emergency communications nets during floods, hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, terrorist attacks and other major disasters, whether they be local, regional or national in scope.

Members of formal emergency organizations such as the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and the Radio Amateur Communication Emergency Services (RACES) regularly participate.

The American Radio Relay League estimates that more than 35,000 hams participate in Field Day every year.

For more information, see http://rrars.org on the web or contact Steve Miller, president of the Rolla Regional Amateur Radio Society, at smiller@rollanet.org or 573-341-3892.