Annual amateur radio event this weekend

VW independent staff/submitted information

Ham radio operators throughout the United States and Canada, including the Van Wert Amateur Radio Club, are preparing for this weekend’s operating event, Field Day 2024.

Locally, Field Day will be held at the headquarters of the Van Wert Emergency Management Agency, across the street from the Marsh Foundation’s administration building on Lincoln Highway in Van Wert.

Amateur radio is personal, two-way radio communications that are strictly non-commercial in nature. Field Day is a friendly competition among ham radio operators to see who can get the most radio contacts during the 24 hour event. Hams this weekend will use many modes of operation, such as voice, Morse Code, and various digital modes that are relatively new to the hobby. Digital modes use computers to create the signal and are semi-automatic in nature. During last year’s 24 hour event, local “hams” established between 1,200-1,400 contacts.

The local radio operators will set up and operate under simulated emergency conditions. Field Day is a test of the club’s ability to maintain communications readiness in the event of an emergency when normal communications might not be available. Local amateur radio operators routinely use their personal radios and antennas to provide public service communications such as weather spotting, and Field Day provides the opportunity to test equipment that has the potential of world-wide communications.

Field Day operating will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 24, and will continue until 2 p.m. Sunday, June 25. The public is welcome to visit Field Day and is a great way to learn more about the fascinating hobby of personal, two way radio know as amateur radio.

For more information on the Radio Club, come to Field Day or visit w8fy.org or the club’s Facebook page.