Field Day Shows Roswell the Benefits of Amateur Radio

Many Roswell residents didn’t know it, but this past week was officially “Amateur Radio Week” in the city; an event that culminated with Saturday and Sunday’s 24-hour Amateur Radio Field Day, held in Waller Park.

Antennas and communication cable were strung all around the park over the weekend to support the North Fulton Amateur Radio League’s (NFARL) event, part of a larger event with similar field days in cities across the United States and Canada.

The public came through the park to witness a service performed by skilled and trained volunteers who turn their passion for amateur radio into action. Many that attended didn’t know it, but they were rubbing elbows with individuals who provide critical services during events that knock out or overwhelm professional communication systems.

“Amateur Radio Field Day is about educating the public as to the capabilities of the amateur radio community in providing communications assistance during a disaster, during an emergency situation, when the traditional communication modes and methods are unavailable,” Ian Kahn, the field day’s chairman, said on Sunday.

The public’s response was positive and Kahn was encouraged by the city government’s response to the event. Numerous city officials attended the event and were able to participate in many of the activities and demonstrations provided by the NFARL, including a “Get on the Air” Station that enabled inexperienced users to experiment with contacting other “Ham” operators participating in the event.

Kahn stressed that while this weekend was about educating the public about the role Ham operators can play in disaster situations, it was also about showing other ways in which they support their communities.

Ham operators played major roles in communications during the recent tornadoes in Alabama and Massachusetts. They were also the primary means of communication for weeks and months following the earthquake in Haiti in January of 2010.

The North Fulton club assisted the cities of Sandy Springs and Johns Creek when they separated from the Fulton County 911 system by helping maintain communications services while the cities transferred to their own systems.

But there’s also a lighter side, the other supportive ways Ham operators work for their communities that Kahn was referring to, including communication support for the Peachtree Road Race and local events such as the The Children’s Christmas Parade, The Possum Trot Road Race and The Chattahoochee Challenge.

Kahn felt this weekend's event was a success in both educating the public and maintaining the club’s status as one of the premier amateur radio clubs in the country. Over the weekend, they were able to conduct and log contacts with over 929 stations in the United States and Canada.