These Are The Guys You Depend On In A Catastrophe

By BUDD JOHNSON

The Brandon Amateur Radio Society (BARS) participated this past weekend (June 22-23) in an annual nationwide event called "Field Day," which is the climax of the week ong Amateur Radio Week. 

Field Day is sponsored by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the national association of Amateur Radio founded in 1914. There were 1,610 field day sites registered nationwide. 

The Brandon “club” has been in existence since 1972 and currently has over 50 members. 

Saturday morning, members simulated a deployment to a disaster scene. The set-up crew positioned the camping trailers and tent used to house each radio station at Davis Park in Brandon. The four stations consisted of CW (Morse Code – yes, it is still very popular), PSK (a type of digital mode), SSB (single side band voice) and the GOTO station for visitors and newly licensed hams to “Get On The Air” with the help of an experienced “Elmer” (teacher). 

The club put up wire antennas (a few were home-brewed) between the trees and portable guyed poles. Generators were used to keep batteries charged and radios, lights and fans operating. 

Field Day is for amateur radio operators to hone their basic knowledge of radio technology and operating principles. There were 23 members and 10 visitors at the Brandon event.  

At noon the members had their club picnic followed by an FCC amateur radio license testing session for five applicants, administered by volunteer examiners. 

At 2 p.m. (1800 UTC) the “contest” began with operators and loggers trying to make radio contacts by exchanging basic information with many other stations, to be tallied for a score at the end of the event. Operators took shifts to operate for the 24-hour period ending at 2 p.m. Sunday. 

Through the heat, rain, lightning and more heat, the club totaled 1,012 radio contacts with all the states except Wyoming and all Canadian provinces except Newfoundland-Labrador.

What is Amateur Radio?  

Also known as “Ham Radio” (not CB radio), it is a popular hobby and a service in which FCC-licensed participants from all walks of life operate communications equipment with a deep appreciation of the radio art and community service. 

New digital modes and DSP processing keeps the hobby in the 21st century along with a number of countries that have launched amateur radio satellites. 

Nearly every resident of the International Space Station is a licensed ham and the ISS has amateur radios for hobby contacts, school contacts and emergency communications, “When All Else Fails."  

It is said that “Amateur Radio is a hobby with a purpose” and “the ultimate contact sport."  

The BARS members support emergency communications by backing up the county emergency services, the Brandon Regional Hospital and the new Brandon Regional Hospital Plant City Emergency Center. Many are trained SKYWARM weather spotters. 

The club also supplies radio operators for the Brandon Fourth of July Parade. 

It meets the third Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at Brandon Assembly of God church, 710 S. Kings Ave., Brandon.  More information can be found at www.brandonhamradio.org .

Other Field Day participants in the vicinity were the Tampa Amateur Radio Club (TARC), MOSI ARC, Sun City Center and Kings Point ARCs and the Sheriff’s Tactical Amateur Radio Communications Team (STARC). For information on the 10-county West Central Florida hams and organizations, visit: www.arrlwcf.org