Northeast Louisiana Amateur Radio Club is hosting Amateur Radio Field Day 2018 at Kiroli Park, Shelter 6 Saturday and Sunday, June 23-24.
Amateur Field Day is held across the US and Canada each year. The overnight event demonstrates how ham radio can be used to serve communities during times of crisis. The Amateur Radio Relay League created Field Day in 1933, and it has occurred annually ever since. It combines a picnic, campout, emergency preparedness, and an informal contest.
Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is often used during emergency situations as a reliable source of communication. The National Weather Service SKYWARN Network provides free training around the region periodically, according to Scott Dickson of the Northeast Louisiana Amateur Radio Club. The training proves to be essential during bad weather. Hams, or amateur radio operators, can spot a tornado on the ground and transmit that information to a weather reporting station through a more reliable means of communication than phone or email.
The event also features radio contests such as contacting as many other stations as possible or learning and practicing emergency response protocol during less than optimal conditions. More information about the Northeast Louisiana Amateur Radio Club is available here. More information about the American Radio Relay League Field Day is available here.
