Ham Radio Operators demonstrate modern capabilities this weekend

Communications Mobile Command Vehicle in Shoreline
Photo copyright Marc Weinberg

Public Demonstration and Practice of Emergency Communications 11am June 22 to 11am June 23, Shoreline Fire Department, 175th and Aurora Ave N.

By Marc Weinberg

Thousands of Ham Radio operators across the US and Canada will be showing off their emergency capabilities for 24 hours June 22-23.

Over the past year, the news has been full of reports of ham radio providing critical communications in emergencies world-wide. In most cases Amateur Radio – often called “Ham Radio” - was often the ONLY way people could communicate, and hundreds of volunteer “hams” traveled great distances to set up communication facilities for fire, police and other first responders to save lives and property.

When trouble is brewing, ham radio people are often the first to provide critical information and communications.

During this 24 hours, the public will have a chance to meet our Shoreline HAMS and talk with them to find out what the Amateur Radio Service is about. Showing the newest digital and satellite capabilities, voice communications and even historical Morse code, hams from across the USA and Canada will be holding public demonstrations like this event to show the public emergency communications in action.

This annual event is called "Field Day." It is sponsored by the ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio. Using only emergency power supplies, ham operators will construct emergency stations in parks, shopping malls, schools and back yards around the country.

Their slogan, "Ham radio works when other systems don't! " is more than just words to the hams as they prove they can send messages in many forms without the use of phone systems, internet or any other infrastructure that can be compromised in a crisis. More than 30,000 amateur radio operators across the country participated in last year's event.

Learn more about Ham Radio in Shoreline. The public is most cordially invited to come, meet and talk with the hams. See what modern Amateur Radio can do.