eHam.net News

///////////////////////////////////////////
Amateur Radio Operators Work to Stay Prepared:

Posted: 10 Jul 2016 05:19 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37146


MUSCLE SHOALS -- The annual national Amateur Radio Field Day wasn't just a
bunch of people sitting around talking with each other on their ham
radios. "These guys enjoy the hobby of amateur radios, but the field day
was far from just having a good time," said Lauderdale County Emergency
Management Agency Director George Grabryan. "Amateur radio operators are
vital to the region in times of a natural disaster, and this field day was
a chance for them to practice and hone their skills." More than 30 local
amateur radio operators recently converged on Gattman Park in Muscle Shoals
for the annual exercise. "More than 35,000 amateur radio operators all over
the U.S. and Canada took part in this," said Noah Banister, president of
the Muscle Shoals Amateur Radio Club. Banister said during the two-day
event, local operators used their radio equipment to communicate with other
radio operators. They had to erect antennas and work as if they were in a
natural disaster. He said the field day demonstrates the ability of ham
radio operators to work reliably under any conditions from almost any
location, and create an independent communications network. He said the
club has the ability to relay communications in Colbert, Franklin and
Lauderdale counties. "If we lost power and our communications capability,
we would rely on these amateur operators," said Colbert County EMA Director
Mike Melton. "They have the capability of transmitting and opening lines of
communications throughout the region. "That's why this field-day exercise
is so important; they get to use their skills."