Newport County Radio Operators Demonstrate “A National Resource”

Amateur radio hobbyists from the Newport County Radio Club will be participating in a national amateur radio exercise from 2PM on Saturday, June 27 until 2PM on Sunday, June 28, 2026. The event is ARRL Field Day (arrl.org/field-day), an annual amateur radio activity organized since 1933 by ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio®.

Field Day is the largest on-the-air operating event in North America and demonstrates amateur radio’s ability to provide reliable, independent communications under any conditions from almost any location. Local participants will set up temporary radio stations at Glen Park, Portsmouth and are inviting the public to see ham radio in action.

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The 2026 theme, “Amateur Radio: A National Resource,” highlights the vital role amateur radio plays in emergency preparedness, public service, and community resilience. Operators will demonstrate how quickly a communications network can be established using portable equipment, including radios powered by generators, batteries, and solar energy.

Field Day 2026 is especially significant as ARRL joins America250 as a Supporting Partner in the nationwide commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States. Amateur radio operators will take part in this historic milestone by showcasing their long-standing contributions to innovation, service, and civic engagement.

Locally, visitors will have the opportunity to:

• See live amateur radio demonstrations
• Learn how emergency communications work when infrastructure fails
• Talk on the air with licensed operators
• Discover how to get involved in amateur radio

More than 35,000 amateur radio operators participated in Field Day across North America in recent years. Today, there are more than 750,000 FCC licensed amateur radio operators in the United States and approximately 3 million worldwide. For more information about ARRL Field Day and ham radio, visit www.W1SYE.org or www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio.