Matagorda County Amateur Radio Club
The Matagorda County Amateur Radio Club will set up in LeTulle Park and spend the weekend of June 22 and 23rd testing their skills and equipment by making contact with other radio operators across the US and Canada as part of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Field Day.
Licensed operators will be participating in this annual simulated emergency exercise by setting up and operating in this remote location using various types of temporary antennas and power sources such as generators, batteries or solar panels.
Amateur radio operators, also known as hams, will be on the air making radio contacts using their voice, Morse Code, and other digital modes which encompass current technologies.
Since 1933, ham radio operators across North America have established temporary ham radio stations in public locations during Field Day to showcase the science and skill of amateur radio.
During Field Day 2023, more than 35,000 hams participated from thousands of locations across North America.
The Matagorda County Amateur Radio Club is celebrating its’ 45th anniversary this year as an ARRL affiliated club and has been participating in Field Day for many years.
This event is open to the public.
Licensed amateur radio operators are a huge asset to any community during disasters such as hurricanes when the standard communication infrastructure becomes overloaded or fails.
In addition to providing auxiliary communication for government agencies, hams also provide communication for families during a disaster.
When cell phone and internet services become disrupted it can be comforting for family members to be notified of their loved ones’ welfare whether they are half way around the world or just a few hours away.
Amateur radio operators in this community are an integral part of the County Emergency Plan.
Among the tenets of the amateur radio service is developing and practicing skills in radio technology, radio communications, and even contributing to international good will.
In today’s electronic do-it-yourself (DIY) environment, ham radio remains one of the best ways for people to learn about electronics, physics, meteorology, as well as numerous science disciplines.
This hobby is a way to learn about other counties and cultures as you make contacts around the world. Radio signals reach beyond borders and bring people together while providing essential communication in the service of communities.
According to the American Radio Relay League, the association that represents amateur radio operators in the US, there are more than 750,000 licensed hams in the US and an estimated 3 million worldwide that are as young as 9 and older than 100.
With clubs like the Matagorda County Amateur Radio Club, it’s easy to get involved.
For more information about Field Day or amateur radio, contact Bill Douglas at 979-429-2562 or stop by the East Pavilion in LeTulle Park on June 22.
Information about the Club is available at www.qrz.com/db/W5WTM and about Field Day and amateur radio at www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio.