Members of the Satellite Amateur Radio Club put their emergency communication skills to the test when they participated in a Field Day exercise Saturday and Sunday at the groups compound, about two miles southeast of Casmalia.

The annual preparedness event brings together amateur radio operators from throughout North and South America who are committed to assisting their communities in the event of a natural or man-made disaster. Field Day is sponsored by the American RadioRelay League (ARRL), the national association for amateur radio.

Amateur radio is a lot of fun, but we also practice our emergency skills, said Eric Lemmon, SARC facility manager and license trustee. Ham radio operators can play a vital communications role during disasters, and events such as Field Day ensure that were ready to support the Red Cross, FEMA, and the Department of Homeland Security.

Field Day is designed to test operators abilities to set up and operate stations in the field under emergency conditions, using only generator, solar or wind power and makeshift antennas. During the weekend event, operators contacted as many other Field Day stations as possible, simulating the fast on-air skills needed to assist local and state authorities during an actual emergency.

Many thousands of Hams participate in each years Field Day. The first Field Day was held in 1933.

Setup for this years Field Day began on Friday, with operation commencing at 11 a.m. Saturday and continuing for 24 hours.

For more information about this event or amateur radio in general, contact Eric Lemmon at 733-4416.

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Local Hams participate in emergency preparedness excercise