Published: June 22, 2009 08:32 am      

Ham radio operators prepare for emergency

Madison County “hams” will join more than 30,000 of other amateur radio operators across the country Saturday and Sunday as they practice their emergency capabilities.

The public is invited to visit the hobbyists who are prepared to use their skills and equipment to provide emergency communication when a natural disaster disrupts conventional telecommunications.

Using only emergency power supplies, ham operators will set up emergency stations in parks, shopping malls, schools and backyards around the country.

They will use the newest digital and satellite capabilities, voice communications and even historical Morse code.

In Madison County, the Central Kentucky Amateur Radio Society will set up at Camp Catalpa across off Irvine Road across from Lake Reba Park.

There, the public can learn about ham radio’s new capabilities and learn how to get their own FCC radio license before the next disaster strikes.

This weekend’s annual “Field Day” is the climax of a week long “Amateur Radio Week” sponsored by the American Radio Relay League, the national association for amateur radio.

When trouble is brewing, amateur radio operators often are the first to provide rescuers with critical information and communications.

Their slogan, “When all else fails, ham radio works,” is more than just words to the amateur radio operators as they prove 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.

In the past year, ham radio operators have provided critical communications during unexpected emergencies in towns across America including the California wildfires, winter storms, tornadoes and other events worldwide.

During the ice storm in January, ham radio operators provided the only emergency communication in Paducah for at least an entire day, said club member Herb Pettit.

In Madison County, club members were not activated because the communications infrastructure stayed up, Pettit said.

Field Day activities begin Saturday at 2 p.m. and end Sunday at 2 p.m.

A large turnout of hams is expected and the group hopes many members of the community will visit, Pettit said.

For more information about amateur radio, go to www.emergency-radio.org.