North Tillamook County amateur radio operators, known as “Hams,” will conduct a public demonstration of their communicating skills Saturday, June 23, starting at 9 a.m., in Manzanita’s city parking lot on South 5th Street.
The event will be part of the annual on-the-air “Field Day” sponsored by the Amateur Radio Relay League. More than 35,000 amateurs are expected to participate in remote locations across the U.S. and Canada. “Field Day is a time when many aspects of Amateur Radio can be brought together,” said Manzanita Ham operator Bruce Maxwell. “While some will treat it as a competition, seeing how many other hams they can contact, others use the opportunity to practice emergency response capabilities.”
“Ham radio operations have been a critical part of the ongoing disaster planning and training being led locally by the Emergency Volunteer Corps of Nehalem Bay,” said Emergency Volunteer Corps of Nehalem Bay (EVCNB) public information officer David Dillon. “The Field Day will be an excellent opportunity to demonstrate amateur radio capabilities to the citizens and regional organizations it could serve in an emergency.”
Maxwell said citizens are invited to stop by, ask questions, listen, and possibly talk on the radio during the Field Day. He added, “We want people to observe and understand why ham radio has been called upon again and again in emergencies to provide critical communications when it really matters.”
For more information about ham radio operations, yellow-radio and emergency communications and preparedness, go to www.evcnb.org.