Members of the Matagorda County Amateur Radio Club will be participating in the national amateur radio Field Day exercise from 1 p.m. Saturday June 24, through Sunday morning, June 25, near the East Pavilion in LeTulle Park just west of Bay City.
This event is open to the public.
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 2022, more than 30,000 hams participated from thousands of locations across North America.
For over 100 years, amateur radio - sometimes called ham radio - has allowed people from all walks of life to experiment with electronics and communication techniques, as well as provide a free public service to their communities during a disaster, all without needing a cell phone or the Internet.
Field Day demonstrates ham radio’s ability to work reliably under any conditions from almost any location and create an independent, wireless communications network. 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.
For example, area hams were on the air during Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and Hurricane Nicholas in 2021 providing status updates and sharing information about conditions across Matagorda, Wharton, Brazoria, Jackson, and southwest Fort Bend counties.
Ham radio functions completely independently of the Internet and phone systems and a station can be set up almost anywhere in minutes.
Hams can quickly raise a wire antenna into a tree or on a mast, connect it to a radio and power source, and communicate around the world.
Radio signals reach beyond borders and bring people together while providing essential communication in the service of communities.
Among the tenets of the amateur radio service is developing and practicing skills in radio technology and 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, and is a huge asset to any community during disasters if the standard communication infrastructure fails.
The Matagorda County group is an integral part of the County Emergency Plan.
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 24-25.
Information is also available at www.qrz.com/db/W5WTM and www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio.
