Field Day 2022

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

If any of you are thinking about becoming an amateur radio operator, two local ham radio clubs are offering a free outdoor demonstration on Saturday, June 25 where you can learn more about what ham radio operators can do. You will be able to make your first amateur radio contact under the supervision of a licensed ham at our "Get on the Air" table, and you will be able to observe hams doing long-distance communication using voice, Morse code, and digital modes. There will also be people demonstrating UHF/VHF radios.

FREE OUTDOOR AMATEUR RADIO DEMONSTRATION

Date: June 25, 2022

Time: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Place: Upper Canyon Trail Park, 6757 Gatto Ave, El Cerrito, CA

Sponsoring Clubs: KARO ECHO (Kensington Amateur Radio Operators & El Cerrito Ham Operators) and EBARC (East Bay Amateur Radio Club)

ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO

Amateur radio operators (also known as “ham radio” operators) are people who have obtained a license from the Federal Communications Commission to send and receive messages on designated frequencies. Many hams are involved in experimenting with radio devices – testing various radios or antennas or trying to communicate with the astronauts on the International Space Station.

Others are involved in local groups that are focused on emergency communications, and they hold regular practice sessions where they prepare for disaster situations. Since they are sending messages via battery-powered radios instead of using cell phones or the Internet, they will be able to send and receive messages even if the power is out and the cell phone towers and Internet are down or overloaded. Since they are licensed to use higher-power radios and more frequencies than GMRS operators, they are able to communicate over much longer distances. Most GMRS radios will only reach a few miles, but with the right radios and antennas, hams can contact people around the world.

ABOUT OUR JUNE 25 EVENT

Over 40,000 amateur radio operators across North America will be on the air on June 25 for an annual celebration of amateur radio known as Field Day, the biggest amateur radio holiday of the year. Field Day includes a contest where operators try to make contact with as many other operators as possible, and it is also an opportunity for ham radio clubs to educate their communities about their activities.

At our June 25 event in El Cerrito, we will welcome your questions about amateur radio and encourage you to pursue your ham license. Amateur radio can be a lot of fun for the whole family, and the licensing test is not very difficult. Many people are able to pass the test for the entry-level "Technician" license after a one-day “ham cram” course.

If any of you are already ham operators, and you would like to volunteer a few hours to demonstrate a radio or help with set-up or clean-up, please contact KARO-ECHO's president, Howdy Goudey at ke6bee@arrl.net.

I hope that you will be able to join us on Saturday, June 25 at Upper Canyon Trail Park. It should be a lot of fun!