Radio Club Connects With World on Field Day

By Joel Frady

"India!" exclaimed 13-year-old Joel Hubbard, having just made contact with another radio operator on the other

side of the world. Hubbard made the pronouncement as he watched a computer screen at Ashe County Park in the early afternoon hours of Saturday, June 27, during the Ashe County Amateur Radio Club's Field Day event. It was only a couple of hours into the 24-hour marathon event in which club participants attempted to make contact with the outside world using only portable equipment.

Field Day, which is organized by the American Radio Relay League, has been held in Ashe County for "better than 20 years," according to Radio Club member Adam Lawler. It has been held six in a row and for three straight at the park, and Lawler said that the event "has several facets to it.

"First, it's a day where we can get out and bring our station's portable equipment into the field," he said. "Basically, we run off of emergency power" such as gas generators and solar power, along with portable, non-existent antennas.

"It's basically like a disaster" scenario, Lawler continued. "If a disaster came and wiped out all the antennas, how would we communicate? We can bring in equipment, put up antennas and run off a generator and we're on the air in less than 24 hours."

He later noted that "if a hurricane comes through, we're going to be on the air. When the blizzard of 1993 came through and no phone calls could go out of Ashe County, we were the only form of contact with the outside world."

Club president Shane Miller also said that the "emergency services" side is an important aspect of the club. He also mentioned the blizzard of '93 and that the club also communicates with the National Weather Service, reporting on snow storms, hail and downed power lines so the Weather Service "can have an idea how bad a storm is, or if it is not too bad."

Both Lawler and Miller also described the event as a good time to get together with their fellow club members.
"Amateur radio is something that everyone you see here has fallen in love with over the years," said Lawler. "It gives us a chance to come out, eat great food and be with each other and chat. We're all like a family - we talk on the radio all the time." Miller said it is a time "for fellowship, to get together, have a good time and promote the hobby."

Another facet is giving the public a chance to "come and find out what amateur radio is all about," said Lawler.

"It's always held in a public place," said Miller. "It's a place where the public can come out. We have the station set up so that anyone can come and sit down, learn about amateur radio and talk on it.

"Plus," he later said, "it's just a lot of fun."

Set-up for Field Day began on Friday afternoon, and by Saturday at 2 p.m. radio operators were speaking through a variety of radio means, ranging from voice communications to Morse Code, to people from all over the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and such faraway lands as Australia and Asia. The club's goal was to make contact with "at least 1,000 contacts" before the contest ended on Sunday at 2 p.m.

The Ashe County Amateur Radio Club meets the second Thursday of every month at 6 p.m. at Smoky Mountain Barbecue.

Anyone interested is encouraged to attend. To find out more about the club, click to www.w4ysb.org.