Ham radio Field Day is this weekend

Ham radio operators from the Sussex County Amateur Radio Club will participate in a national amateur radio exercise from 2 p.m. Saturday, June 24 to 2 p.m. Sunday, June 25 in the field behind 131 and 150 Morris Ave., Newton.

The event is the ARRL Field Day, an annual amateur radio activity organized since 1933 by the American Radio Relay League.

Hams from across North America ordinarily participate in the Field Day by establishing temporary ham radio stations in public locations to demonstrate their skill and service. The event highlights the ability of ham radio operators to work reliably under any conditions from almost any location and create an independent, wireless communications network.

Some hams from New Jersey will use the radio stations set up in their homes or taken to 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.

The event is noteworthy this year because a particularly active hurricane season is predicted.

“Hams have a long history of serving our communities when storms or other disasters damage critical communication infrastructure, including cell towers,” said club president Kelly Leavitt (call sign KE2L).

“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 in a tree or on a mast, connect it to a radio and power source, and communicate effectively with others.”

During Field Day 2021, more than 26,000 hams participated from thousands of locations across North America. According to ARRL, there are more than 750,000 amateur radio licensees in the United States and an estimated 3 million worldwide.

For information, contact Kelly Leavitt at ke2l@arrl.net and go online to www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio