Batavia mayor declares June 21-28 Amateur Radio Week
Batavia Mayor Jeffrey D. Schielke this month issued a proclamation naming June 21-28 Amateur Radio Week in Batavia. The proclamation was issued at the request of Fox River Radio League, a nonprofit group that provides community service to the Tri-Cities.
The league contacted the mayor in preparation for National Field Day, an annual event in which local radio operators, known as "hams," operate in remote locations to practice and demonstrate their emergency communications capabilities. A highlight of the event is the opportunity for unlicensed members of the community to get on the air under the direction of a licensed operator.
In the our area, the Fox River Radio League will be demonstrating amateur radio on Saturday, June 27 between 1 and 6 p.m., and Sunday, June 28 between 9 and 11 a.m. at Elburn Forest Preserve, off Route 38, one-half mile west of Route 47 in Elburn.
The public is invited to come and see ham radio's new capabilities, make radio contacts, and learn how to get their own FCC radio license.
This annual event that has been enjoyed across the nation since 1933. Using only emergency power supplies, ham operators construct emergency stations in parks, shopping malls, schools and backyards around the country. The slogan, "When All Else Fails, Ham Radio Works," is more than just words; hams prove during this event that they can send messages in many forms without the use of phone systems, internet or any other infrastructure that can be compromised in a crisis. More than 45,000 amateur radio operators across the country participated in last year's event.
Even in this age of cell phones, tablets and the internet, amateur radio remains a viable and sometimes vital means of communicating. Hams often are among emergency responders providing rescue communication services during disasters, even without conventional power sources or out of range of cell towers. In addition, amateur radio is still a popular hobby, calling on knowledge of electronics, physics, meteorology and other scientific disciplines.
There are over 725,000 amateur radio licensees in the U.S., as young as 5 and as old as 100. With clubs such as Fox River Radio League, it's easy for anybody to get involved, find education and support at no cost, and earn an amateur radio license.
Field Day is sponsored by the American Radio Relay League, the largest membership association of amateur radio enthusiasts in the USA.
The Fox River Radio League was founded in 1924 and since that time has served the community as well as members of the amateur radio service. Its membership of about 150 individuals includes licensed hams as well as unlicensed individuals with an interest in radio. The group provides monthly meetings that are open to visitors; presents programs related to radio use, maintenance and integration; provides free education classes for those preparing to sit for the FCC licensing exams; offers ongoing support to help new hams choose and install their equipment and learn how to operate effectively; and participates in community events, providing health and safety communications as needed.
To learn more about the organization or the Field Day event, visit www.FRRL.org or www.facebook.com/foxriverradio.