2009 Field Day

The Nanaimo Amateur Radio Association (NARA) will once again participate in the annual FIELD DAY amateur radio exercise which will be held this year from Saturday June 27 to Sunday June 28.

This 24-hour event is co-sponsored by the Radio Amateurs of Canada and the American Radio Relay League. The primary purpose of FIELD DAY, which began in the United States in 1933, is to encourage emergency communications preparedness among amateur radio operators in Canada and the United States.

NARA, which is celebrating its 61st anniversary this year, has 87 licensed radio operators, commonly called “Hams”. This year the club members will be setting up radios, antennas and other communications equipment at its temporary station located off the main parking lot at Beban Park and will begin broadcasting and receiving communications at 11:00 o’clock on Saturday morning.

There is a competitive element to this event and points are awarded to participating clubs for using alternative power sources and innovative and experimental equipment. Points are also awarded for the type and number of radio contacts made during this twenty four hour period. NARA’s women and men Hams are licensed to operate on various radio frequencies and will be using Morse code and voice to communicate with hundreds of other Hams from all over North America while taking their turn operating the club’s radios.

Ham radio is a fun and fascinating hobby for all ages and is comprised of many different components ranging from communicating with other Hams just a few miles away to making contacts thousands of miles away on other continents, to building radios and antennas, to serving the community. NARA members volunteer their time and equipment to provide reliable communications at various local community events such as the annual Gut Buster Race. During major disasters, amateur radio provides a vital service to a community in crisis by assuring reliable means of emergency communications when conventional telephone, cell phone and internet services fail. NARA is part of the Provincial Emergency Program and plays an important role within the City of Nanaimo and Regional District of Nanaimo Emergency Management programs.

NARA invites the public to drop by during the FIELD DAY event at Beban Park to visit the temporary radio station, see how Hams operate and learn more about this hobby and perhaps even have a chance to talk on the air, supervised by a Ham of course!

**Pictures are now on the web page**
http://www.ve7na.ca/gallery/v/events/Field+Day+2009_001/

NOTE FOR JOURNALISTS: For more information please contact Jean-Michel Hanssens at 250-729-8871