HAMS Gather For Radio Field Day

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By Joe Kirkendall, Times-Union staff writer-

Tents, antennas, HAMS and chili will all be found at the Hoosier Lakes Radio Club Field Day this weekend.

The event is open to the public and will take place at Jack Worth's residence, 4180 N. CR 20E.

Worth, club organizer, treasurer and host of the event, plans to broadcast various signals for 24 continuous hours starting 1 p.m. Saturday. An estimated 30 broadcasters are planned to attend.

"We'll be providing communications using all sorts of equipment and running off of generators, batteries and even solar power," Worth said. "This is by no means an old-fashioned event. We're proud to say this will be state-of-the-art technology at work."

Amateur radio broadcasters, commonly known as HAMS, will be setting up on Worth's campgrounds and constructing equipment to broadcast signals of numerous powers and frequencies. HAMS hope to transmit worldwide using code-based communications and stripped down vocal frequencies. Certain means of broadcasting used during the event require less than 5 watts of power.

While using Worth's equipment, a broadcaster once reached a contact on the Cook Islands, located east of Australia, using 3 watts of power.

"We use the event to set up contacts for future communications and to test out new equipment and techniques, but we're more than happy to use the event to educate the public on what we're doing," Worth said.

Worth said that he is often asked whether or not HAMS still exist. He uses this event to show that amateur radio broadcasters still communicate outside of commercial AM and FM stations and have been an extreme benefit to communities after disasters strike, such as the hurricane season the state of Florida experienced last year.

"If a crisis were ever to occur, who else can you turn to? If power is cut off to a community, no one will be able to use their phones. If a cell phone tower is knocked down, then people are left without communications," Worth said. "We can provide means of contact in any situation." [[In-content Ad]]

Tents, antennas, HAMS and chili will all be found at the Hoosier Lakes Radio Club Field Day this weekend.

The event is open to the public and will take place at Jack Worth's residence, 4180 N. CR 20E.

Worth, club organizer, treasurer and host of the event, plans to broadcast various signals for 24 continuous hours starting 1 p.m. Saturday. An estimated 30 broadcasters are planned to attend.

"We'll be providing communications using all sorts of equipment and running off of generators, batteries and even solar power," Worth said. "This is by no means an old-fashioned event. We're proud to say this will be state-of-the-art technology at work."

Amateur radio broadcasters, commonly known as HAMS, will be setting up on Worth's campgrounds and constructing equipment to broadcast signals of numerous powers and frequencies. HAMS hope to transmit worldwide using code-based communications and stripped down vocal frequencies. Certain means of broadcasting used during the event require less than 5 watts of power.

While using Worth's equipment, a broadcaster once reached a contact on the Cook Islands, located east of Australia, using 3 watts of power.

"We use the event to set up contacts for future communications and to test out new equipment and techniques, but we're more than happy to use the event to educate the public on what we're doing," Worth said.

Worth said that he is often asked whether or not HAMS still exist. He uses this event to show that amateur radio broadcasters still communicate outside of commercial AM and FM stations and have been an extreme benefit to communities after disasters strike, such as the hurricane season the state of Florida experienced last year.

"If a crisis were ever to occur, who else can you turn to? If power is cut off to a community, no one will be able to use their phones. If a cell phone tower is knocked down, then people are left without communications," Worth said. "We can provide means of contact in any situation." [[In-content Ad]]

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