FieldDay2016
PRESS RELEASE -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Amateur Radio “Field Day” June 25 – 26 Demonstrates Science, Skill, and Service
Join us at Lake Wilderness Park
Maple Valley, WA, June 9, 2016– Members of the Maple Valley Amateur Radio Club (MVARC) will be participating in the national Amateur Radio Field Day exercise, June 25 – 26 at Lake Wilderness Park. MVARC encourages everyone to come observe, participate, and learn more about Amateur Radio starting at 11AM Saturday through Noon on Sunday.
Since 1933, ham radio operators across North America have established temporary ham radio stations in public locations during Field Day to showcase the science and skill of Amateur Radio. This event is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend.
In additional to providing emergency communications when needed, Amateur Radio operators use their skills to help with many events such as marathons, triathlons, and other special events such as the Maple Valley Bear Run, Lake Meridian Triathlon, Maple Valley Bra Run, Lake Wilderness Triathlon, Black Diamond Triathlon, celebrations such as the Maple Valley Days Parade — these are all large, preplanned, non-emergency activities. Most recently, Amateur Radio’s usefulness was highlighted as part of the Cascadia Rising regional exercise.
For over 100 years, Amateur Radio — sometimes called ham radio — has allowed people from all walks of life to experiment with electronics and communications techniques, as well as provide a free public service to their communities during a disaster, all without needing a cell phone or the Internet. Field Day demonstrates ham radio’s ability to work reliably under any conditions from almost any location and create an independent communications network. Over 35,000 people from thousands of locations participated in Field Day in 2015.
Anyone may become a licensed Amateur Radio operator. There are over 725,000 licensed hams in the United States, as young as 5 and as old as 100. With clubs such as Maple Valley Amateur Radio Club, it’s easy for anybody to get involved right here in the Greater Maple Valley area.
For more information about Field Day, contact nk7n@arrl.net or visit www.arrl.org/field-day.
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