Amateur Radio Club Field Day on June 27

FALLBROOK – The Fallbrook Amateur Radio Club will be participating in Field Day 2015, a emergency preparedness exercise, Saturday, June 27, from 11 a.m. until Sunday, June 28, at 11 a.m. The public and ham radio operators are invited to visit the site at Frazier Elementary School's athletic field, 1835 Gum Tree Lane. Maps and latest information at www.fallbrookarc.org.

The premise of Field Day is to prove that, in an emergency, amateur radio operators or "hams" are capable of setting up radio stations in the field and by using portable antennas and emergency power (generators, batteries, solar) they are able to contact as many other groups around North America doing the same thing. There is expected to be over 45,000 participants in Field Day this year.

During emergencies and natural disasters, normal modes of communication such as telephones, cell phones and the internet usually become overloaded and fail. Amateur radio has been called into action again and again to provide communications in crises when it really matters. Amateur Radio is well known for communications support in real disaster and post-disaster situations.

The club also assists at community events such as the Fallbrook Avocado Festival and parades. On July 4, hams will be out doing red flag patrols for Cal Fire in the back country.

During last year's fires, local radio operators used the Fallbrook Amateur Radio Club's repeaters (repeaters retransmit radio signals to extend range) to provide supplementary conditions and fire location information to the local fire department. Two club members' homes were in evacuations, and many more had eyes on the fires.

Amateur radio operators must pass exams that test their knowledge of electronics and communication procedures in order to get licensed by the FCC. Once licensed they are issued a unique call sign and have earned the privilege to use frequencies in the radio spectrum that are allocated for the amateur radio service. Some of these frequencies are for short-range communications while others are capable of contacts over distances of several thousand miles. There are over 725,000 licensed hams in the United States, as young as 5 and as old as 100.

Even those who are not licensed amateurs are welcome to come out to Field Day and see what it's all about. There will be plenty of experienced and friendly people to speak with and perhaps guide visitors through an on air contact.