Amateur Radio Club ready for Field Day

VW independent staff/submitted information

This weekend, June 28-29, will see the members of the Van Wert Amateur Radio Club once again take part in the yearly emergency preparedness exercise known as Field Day.

The national contest, sponsored by the American Radio Relay League, puts ham radio operators and their equipment to the test by setting up emergency type operations to contact as many other ham radio stations as possible. Field Day will be held this Saturday and Sunday at the headquarters of the Van Wert County Emergency Management Agency on Lincoln Highway, across the street from The Marsh Foundation campus.

Part of the focus of Field Day this year will be an effort to “Get On The Air,” encouraging anyone interested in radio communications and ham radio specifically, to come and join in the fun. Anyone can get on the air even without a license by coming to field day and working with a licensed amateur radio operator.

Field Day also gives seasoned ham radio operators a chance to work with club equipment, especially antennas, that they may not have at home. The Van Wert Amateur Radio Club typically works stations in about 35 or more states and most Canadian provinces during field day, and the club has won their classification four times in the past.

Field Day preliminary set up will begin at 6 p.m. Friday, June 27, and the finishing touches will be applied at 10 a.m. Saturday. The actual hours of operation will be a continuous 24-hour period from 2 p.m. Saturday until 2 p.m. Sunday.

Visitors are welcome at all hours of Field Day. It’s a free event designed for everyone – kids, families, friends, and future :hams.” Field Days will feature guided station tours, interactive radio demonstrations, voice, digital and Morse Code stations and information on how to get licensed.

For more information on Field Day or the Van Wert Amateur Radio Club, go to the club’s web page, w8fy.org, or the League’s web page, arrl.org. Field Day updates will be posted on the Facebook page of The Van Wert Amateur Radio Club.