ARRL Sponsors National Deployment Public Demo of Emergency Communications

Wireless News
06-27-2011
ARRL Sponsors National Deployment Public Demo of Emergency Communications
Type: News

ARRL, a national association for Amateur Radio, announced that it is sponsoring the annual event "Field Day", taking place June 25- 26, where the public will have a chance to meet and talk with Amateur Radio experts and see for themselves what the Amateur Radio Service is about.

According to a release, over 35,000 Amateur Radio operators will be testing their emergency capabilities by setting up temporary radio stations in public parks, fields and unusual locations. Showing the newest digital and satellite capabilities, voice communications and even historical Morse code, "hams" across the USA will be holding public demonstrations of emergency communications abilities. When the Internet, cell phones and other forms of communications went down or were overloaded, the hams' skills saved lives and property. Thousands of local groups will be demonstrating Amateur Radio at various locations.
Over the past year, the news has been filled with reports of ham radio operators providing critical communications during emergencies across America including wildfires, winter storms, the spring tornadoes and other events worldwide. Amateur Radio often called "ham radio" - was often the only way people could communicate in the first hours of the crises. As the head of FEMA, Craig Fugate, said on May 3rd, "When everything else fails, Amateur Radio is often times our last defense."

Using only emergency power systems, their slogan, "When All Else Fails, Ham Radio Works" is more than just words as they prove they can send wireless messages in many forms without the use of phone systems, internet or other systems that can be compromised in a crisis.

The ARRL's Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) program provides emergency communications for thousands of state and local emergency response agencies and non-emergency community services too, all for free.

More Information:

arrl.org/field-day-info

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