The Palms West Amateur Radio Club will take part in the ARRL National Field Day 2016 at Okeeheelee Park’s Osceola Pavilion over a 24-hour period from Saturday, June 25 at 2 p.m. until Sunday, June 26 at 2 p.m.
The event tests the ability of local amateur radio operators to communicate with others in the U.S. and Canada under simulated emergency/disaster conditions.
Palm Beach County “hams” will join with thousands of other amateur radio operators to show off their emergency capabilities. When trouble is brewing, amateur radio people are often the first to provide rescuers with critical information and communications. The nationwide drill is sponsored by ARRL, the National Association for Amateur Radio. The public will have a chance to meet and talk with Palm Beach County ham radio operators and see for themselves what amateur radio is all about.
“We hope that people will come and see for themselves, this is not your grandfather’s radio anymore,” Allen Pitts of the ARRL said. “The communications that ham radio people can quickly create have saved many lives when other systems failed or were overloaded. And besides that, it’s fun!”
For those who are interested, the Palms West Amateur Radio Club will offer demonstrations on Saturday, June 25 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 26 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Osceola Pavilion.
To learn more about amateur radio, visit www.arrl.org.
