Putnam County EOC hosting amateur radio Field Day events this weekend

ARRL (American Radio Relay League) Field Day is the single most popular on-the-air event held annually in the U.S. and Canada. On the fourth weekend of June of each year, thousands of radio amateurs gather with their clubs, groups or simply with friends to operate from remote locations.

On Saturday, June 22 and Sunday, June 23, Putnam County will host a Field Day event of its own at the Putnam County Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

Field Day is a practice for emergencies, an informal contest and, most of all, fun. It is a time where many aspects of amateur radio come together to highlight our many roles. While some will treat it as a contest, other groups use the opportunity to practice their emergency response capabilities.

It is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate amateur radio to the organizations that amateur radio might serve in an emergency, as well as the general public.

The contest part is simply to contact as many other stations as possible and to learn to operate our radio gear in abnormal situations and less than optimal conditions. Radio operators use these same skills when they help with events such as marathons and bike-a-thons, fundraisers such as walk-a-thons, celebrations such as parades and exhibits at fairs, malls and museums. These are all large, preplanned, non-emergency activities.

However, despite the development of very complex, modern communications systems — or maybe because they are so complex — ham radio has been called into action again and again to provide communications in crises when it really matters. Amateur radio people (also called “hams”) are well known for their communications support in real disaster and post-disaster situations.

The local field day is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday through 2 p.m. Sunday at the EOC, 1600 W. CR 225 South, Greencastle. Anyone interested in learning more about amateur radio is invited to stop by based on the following schedule:

2 p.m. Field Day 2024 starts

2 p.m. Amateur license testing (all levels)

2 p.m. on Field Day 2024 operations

4:30 p.m. talk and demonstration of sending pictures with amateur radios and a cell phone camera using slow-scan television (SSTV)

6 p.m. WSPR demonstration

9 p.m. end of Field Day activities at EOC

2 p.m. Sunday Field Day 202r ends

Visit http://www.facebook.com/pcauxcom for details.

PCAUXCOM VE team will also be presenting an amateur radio testing session for technician, general and amateur extra levels at the EOC at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Only Laurel judging team of three to four hams allowed up front. Test takers should plan to their own pencils and simple four-function calculators.

Test takers are expected to leave the test room after finishing their test and turning it in for grading if asked to do so. They should remain near the front of the EOC building to get their results.

Contact George Edenfield at kb9rzk@arrl.net with questions or to register for this testing session.

Field Day 2022 logging and submission help is available for any ham wishing to have their own station Field Day scores applied to the WB9EOC Field Day team even though operation was performed at non-EOC location. Contact Edenfield at the above address for details.