Ham radio operators on the air for Nationwide Event June 28-29

Ham radio operators from the Loudoun Amateur Radio Group in Leesburg, will be participating in a national amateur radio exercise from 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 28 until 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 29. The
event is ARRL Field Day (www.arrl.org/field-day), an annual amateur radio activity organized since 1933 by ARRL, The National Association for Amateur Radio in the United States. The event will take place at the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office Western Station in Round Hill.

Hams from across North America ordinarily participate in Field Day by establishing temporary ham radio stations in public locations to demonstrate their skill and service. Their use of radio signals, which reach beyond borders, bring people together while providing essential communication in the service of communities. Field Day highlights ham radio’s ability to work reliably under any conditions from almost any location and create an independent, wireless communications network.

Some hams from Loudoun will also use the radio stations set up in their homes or their backyards and other locations to operate individually or with their families. Many hams have portable radio communication capability that includes alternative energy sources such as generators, solar panels, and batteries to power their equipment.

This year’s event is also noteworthy given that a particularly active hurricane season is predicted. “Hams in North Carolina, southwest Virginia, and other areas impacted by tragic natural disasters last year and earlier this year sprang into action to provide communication for rescue and humanitarian operations when all other forms of communication were wiped out,” said Patrick Lewis KQ4VZF, LARG Field Day PIO. “Field Day gives local operators a chance to gain valuable experience in the field, work with each other, and take on a variety of volunteer roles, all of which would be necessary in an emergency situation of any magnitude.”

During Field Day 2024, more than 31,000 hams participated from thousands of locations across North America. According to ARRL, there are more than 750,000 amateur radio licensees in the US, and an estimated 3 million worldwide.

Among the tenets of the Amateur Radio Service is developing and practicing skills in radio technology and radio communications, and even contributing to international goodwill. Hams range in age from as young as 9 to older than 100. A self-study license guide is available from ARRL: The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual (www.arrl.org/shop/Ham-Radio-License-Manual). For more information about ARRL Field Day and ham radio, contact PIO Patrick Lewis, KQ4VZF and visit www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio.