MTAR Amateur Radio Field Day

Amateur Radio Field Day will be held June 26-27 and will focus on service and science.

Members of the Middle Tennessee Amateur Radio Society (MTARS), will be participating in the national Amateur Radio Field Day exercise at Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park in Manchester.
This years focus will be on new hams and operating their equipment.

Hams from across North America ordinarily participate in Field Day by establishing temporary ham radio stations in public locations to demonstrate their skill and service.

Their use of radio signals, which reach beyond borders, bring people together while providing essential communication in the service of communities. Field Day highlights ham radios ability to work reliably under any conditions from almost any location and create an independent, wireless communications network.

Some hams from MTARS club will also use the radio stations set up in their homes or taken to their backyards and other locations to operate individually or with their families.

Many hams have portable radio communication capability that includes alternative energy sources such as generators, solar panels, and batteries to power their equipment.

This year's event is also noteworthy given that a particularly active
hurricane season is predicted.
"Hams have a long history of serving our communities when storms or other disasters damage critical communication infrastructure, including cell towers.", said Michael Glennon, KB4JHU, MTARS Club President.
"Ham radio functions completely independently of the internet and phone systems and a station can be set up almost anywhere in minutes. Hams can quickly raise a wire antenna in a tree or on a mast, connect it to a
radio and power source, and communicate effectively with others." Glennon added.

During Field Day 2020, more than 18,000 hams participated from thousands of locations across North America.
According to Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL), there are more than 750,000 amateur radio licensees in the US, and an estimated 3 million worldwide.
Amateur Radio Service is developing and practicing skills in radio technology and radio communications, and even contributing to international goodwill. Hams range in age from as young as 9 to older than 100. And
with clubs such as Middle Tennessee Amateur Radio Society (MTARS),
it's easy for anybody to get involved in Middle Tennessee.

MTARS club meets monthly at First Presbyterian Church of Tullahoma on the Second Thursday at 7pm. For more information visit the webpage
at: https://www.qsl.net/mtars/ or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/w4out ARRL is a resource for Amateur Radio, for more information visit: http://www.arrl.net