Ham Radio Operators to Hold 24-Hour Demonstration Saturday

CANFIELD, Ohio — Emergency communication systems will be on display when the Mahoning Valley Amateur Radio Association hosts a field day event June 25 and 26 at the Mill Creek MetroParks Farm.

The public will get a first-hand look at how amateur radio operators, also known as ham operators, can set up sophisticated computer stations, generate power and communicate with each other off the grid during an emergency.

Instead of relying on domestic power, the amateur operators will be using power supplied from stand-alone generators, batteries and solar. Those involved will use voice and digital communications, as well as Morse Code to communicate with other operators involved in the drill.

The field day exercise is an annual event in the U.S. and Canada organized by the American Radio Relay League. About 26,000 ham operators participate yearly in the event, according to estimates from the ARRL.

Beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday, the 24-hour field day event will serve both as a demonstration for the public to see how temporary transmission stations work and as emergency preparedness practice for members of the Mahoning Valley Radio Association, which was founded in 1919.

According to the ARRL there are 750,000 licensed amateur radio operators in the U.S. and more than three million worldwide.

Pictured at top: Amateur radio operator Noah Hartzler.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.