Local radio operators participate in national emergency preparedness event

STAFF REPORT

Friday, June 24, 2011, 10 p.m. — Members of the local Amateur Radio community will band together this weekend to participate in the annual Field Day emergency preparedness exercise. The event includes the participation of tens of thousands of ham operators across North America.

Members of two local ham radio groups — the Kentucky Amateur Radio Society (KARS) and the Nelson County Amateur Radio Emergency Service — will be bringing their radios and temporary antennas to the grounds of the Old Courthouse on Court Square Saturday morning in order to be ready to operate in time for the 24-hour event’s 2 p.m. start time.

Field Day is part emergency preparedness exercise, part social event and part contest — one of the goals is to communicate with as many different Field Day participants as possible during the 24 hours of Field Day. Preparedness is important, because ham radio is often a critical communications method during unexpected emergencies and disasters. During the 2009 Ice Storm, the first messages from many Western Kentucky counties were requests for help via ham radio.

Many counties recognize the importance ham radio volunteers can play in assisting with communications. Local ham operators volunteer their services to assist the county’s emergency management office when the need arises.

This weekend, thousands of ham radio groups will be participating in Field Day. More than 35,000 licensed ham operators participated in last year’s event.

The public is invited to drop by to find out more about Amateur Radio and how they can get licensed and join the fun.

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