On a cold December day back in 1901, a faint Morse code letter ‘S’ was heard by a brilliant scientist and his intrepid assistant atop Signal Hill in Newfoundland, Canada. This was the first ever-transatlantic radio communication, received by none other than Guglielmo Marconi and George Kemp. Not long after this faithful day, enthusiasts and experimenters from all walks of life began to adopt this new wireless technology for their own use, eventually giving way to the hobby we all know and love.
Today, radio amateurs celebrate names like Marconi, Tesla, Hertz, and Ohm. We revel in any opportunity to share the love for our hobby and the technologies and equipment that serve as our gateway to the airwaves. Nowhere is this passion for spreading the love more apparent than during the fourth weekend of June, each and every year. A span of days when operators from all over the country venture out in to the wild to put on a show for the world. I’m speaking, of course, about Field Day.
The ARRL calls Field Day “Ham Radio’s open house.” I can’t think of a better description for such an event. This year, I took the concept of an open house to heart and traveled around to four different Field Day locations in my area to both take in the sights and to find out how these groups were helping to promote Amateur Radio in our area. Each event was unique in its own way, some having small traditions which developed over the years and all having their own custom solution for setting up their stations and antennas. For all their differences though, all of the events shared the common threads of hospitality and passion which make Field Day the magical even it is.
My First Stop of the weekend was with the Sawnee Amateur Radio Association in Cumming, Ga. It was here that I noticed the first of what would become a common theme for the weekend, AmSat. The club was still in the final stages of completing their setup when I visited in the morning but they had plans to work the birds all day with a prominent setup for all to see. What better way to showcase the power and technology of Amateur Radio for the uninitiated than by leveraging the power of satellites way up in orbit. This event was also my first, but certainly not last, encounter with HF digital modes over the weekend. They were warming up the antennas before the event started with a little 20 meter FT8.
Stop number two was with the Cherokee Amateur Radio Society in Canton, Ga. Field Day had just kicked off in earnest when I arrived and these guys were starting to get in the groove. They were also running satellite and digital modes but what caught my attention the most during my visit was their GOTA station. GOTA, or Get On The Air stations, are dedicated to allowing new or unlicensed guests to, as you might guess, get on the air during Field Day. All of the events I visited featured a GOTA station, they’re quite common at Field Day events due to the public outreach and educational nature of the event, but it was here in Canton that I saw the real benefit of this practice. A small kid shouting to his mom, grinning from ear to ear, to let her know that he had just talked to someone all the way out in California. He still had his helmet on but his bicycle lay over by the trail, forgotten as he continued to work the mic.
Next, I made my way to the North Fulton Amateur Radio League event in Roswell, Ga. This was a team of people who were “in it to win it” as they told me but, even with the competitive spirit in full force, they still had a great showing for their local community. Early in the day on Saturday they hosted a Radio Merit Badge class for a local Boy Scout troop with more than 25 scouts taking advantage of the opportunity to learn more about our hobby. They also had a GOTA station in full swing and I witnessed several people wander over from the nearby baseball and soccer fields to ask what was going on. Of particular interest though was the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety Mobile Command Vehicle, which was parked nearby and offering tours to anyone interested. They showcased the various ways in which they were outfitted to provide auxiliary communications services to a multitude of different agencies and municipalities, all form the confines and comfort of a converted RV. Public service is no small part of our wonderful hobby and it was great to see that illustrated so plainly in a public forum for all to appreciate.
My last stop, now Sunday morning, was with the Gwinnett Amateur Radio Society who were set up near Dacula, Ga. Everyone was moving a little slow after a long night playing radio but the spirit of Field Day was still plain to see. They had a large setup, eight full stations and a GOTA station as well, and not a seat was empty as the event neared its end point. It was here though, while chatting with some of the folks who weren’t operating at the time, that I witnessed another Field Day staple; community outreach. A gentleman wandered up the path and was quickly introduced to us as the local County Commissioner. We were delighted to have a local dignitary show up and that delight quickly turned to amazement as the gentleman began to share stories with us about his encounters with Amateur Radio in the public space and about the good he has witnessed Ham Operators do in the area. As radio enthusiasts, we see and share such stories amongst ourselves all the time but rarely do we command the greater spotlight. The world needs quiet helpers and Amateur radio operators have filled that need time and again. Nonetheless, hearing his story filled me with a real sense of pride for our hobby.
It was here that I concluded my grand Field Day adventure. I had traveled many miles and met many new friends. I took away a better understanding of what binds the Amateur Radio community together. I learned that even though different groups may have separate focuses or specialties, they all share a common passion for the hobby and a desire to share that passion with their communities and the world. I found one big open house filled with the noble ideals of education, outreach and service. Amateur Radio has never been about receiving recognition. We provide our services, assistance and expertise because we’re needed and because we’re able. Even still, I believe that everyone and everything deserves its due time in the sun. Field Day gives Amateur Radio just such an opportunity.
Please visit icomamerica.com/community to learn about Icom’s involvement in the Amateur Radio community.
