'Radio Hams' from Barrow County to Participate in National Field Day Event

Barrow County “hams” will join with thousands of amateur radio operators demonstrating their emergency capabilities this weekend.

The Barrow Amateur Radio Club will be demonstrating amateur radio at Statham City Park on Furr Lane, off Dooley Town Road.

Barrow County residents will have a chance to meet and talk with local ham radio operators and see what the Amateur Radio Service is about. Showing the newest digital and satellite capabilities, voice communications and even historical Morse code, hams from across the USA will be holding public demonstrations of emergency communications abilities during an annual event dubbed "Field Day." This event is the culmination of "Amateur Radio Week" sponsored by the ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio. Using only emergency power supplies, ham operators will construct emergency stations in parks, shopping malls, schools and backyards around the country, sending messages in many forms without the use of phone systems, Internet or any other infrastructure that can be compromised in a crisis.

Mike Wolcott, call sign W4WYI, president of the Barrow Amateur Radio Club, invites everyone out to Statham Park to see the activities first-hand and learn what BARC can offer the community. Wolcott has been active in ham radio for nearly 50 years.

“I’m still having fun and with the new digital modes available it’s never be easier to get on the air and make friends world-wide. Besides, this is the only hobby I know of where you are on instant first-name basis with kings to ditchdiggers and everyone inbetween,” Wolcott said.

According to a news release announcing the demonstrations, over the past year, ham radio operators have provided critical communications during unexpected emergencies in towns across America, including the California wildfires, winter storms, tornadoes and other events worldwide.

During Hurricane Katrina, amateur radio — often called “ham radio” — was often the only way people could communicate, and hundreds of volunteer “hams” traveled south to save lives and property.

More than 35,000 amateur radio operators across the country participated in last year's event.

"We hope that people will come and see for themselves, this is not your grandfather's radio anymore," Allen Pitts, W1AGP, of the ARRL, said in the news release. "The communications that ham radio people can quickly create have saved many lives when other systems failed or were overloaded. And besides that — it’s fun!”

BARC also sponsors local classes to help those interested in obtaining their own Ham Radio license. You do not need to learn Morse code for any grade license.

To learn more about amateur radio, visit www.emergency-radio.org, and click here to find out more about this weekend's Field Day. 

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