Amateur Radio Operators show off capabilities for San Jose CA residents

June 16, 2010 - PRLog -- ** This is an update release to correct typos in PRLog #10739992 **

Thousands of Amateur Radio operators will be showing off their emergency capabilities during the weekend of June 26th - 27th 2010 as part of a nationwide event known as "Field Day". Over the past few years the news has been full of reports of Amateur Radio (often called "Ham Radio") operators providing critical communications during unexpected emergencies in towns across our nation including; the California wildfires, Midwest storms/tornadoes, and even international disasters such as the Haitian earthquake. During Hurricane Katrina, Amateur Radio was often the ONLY way people could communicate, and hundreds of volunteer "hams" traveled south into the disaster zone to save lives and property.

Locally in 2009 local governments called on Amateur Radio operators in San Jose and Santa Cruz to provide communications after a fiber-optic cable in the South San Jose area was vandalized, disabling phone communications -- including 911 emergency service -- for nearly a day in Morgan Hill, Gilroy, and large areas of Santa Cruz County. When trouble is brewing, Amateur Radio's volunteers are often the first to provide rescuers with critical information and communications.

Showcasing the latest digital and satellite capabilities, voice communications, and even historical Morse code; ARRL Field Day is a nationwide event showcasing Amateur Radio to the public. Using only emergency power supplies and portable equipment, Amateur Radio operators will construct radio stations in parks, shopping malls, schools and backyards around the country.

"We hope that people will come and see for themselves, this is not your grandfather's radio anymore," said Allen Pitts of the ARRL. "The communications networks that ham radio people can quickly create have saved many lives in the past months when other systems failed or were overloaded."

On June 26th, San Jose residents will have a chance to meet and talk with local "hams", and see for themselves what the Amateur Radio is all about.  The K6SRA "Bay-Net" team will be demonstrating Amateur Radio at the Mockingbird Hill entrance to Almaden Quicksilver Park on Saturday June 26th from 11:00am to 6:00pm PDT. The Bay-Net team invites the public to come and see ham radio’s new capabilities and learn how to get their own FCC radio license before the next disaster strikes.

Location - Mockingbird Hill entrance to Almaden Quicksilver Park
Lat/Lon- 37 deg 11' 36.71" N -- 121 deg 50' 11.60" W

There are 650,000 Amateur Radio licensees in the US, and more than 2.5 million around the world. Through the ARRL’s ARES program, Amateur Radio volunteers provide emergency communications for thousands of state and local emergency response agencies, all for free.

To learn more about Amateur Radio, stop by the Bay-Net exhibit on Saturday June 26th. The public is most cordially invited to come, meet and talk with the Bay-Net team. See what modern Amateur Radio can do. They can even help you get on the air!

# # #

Bay-Net is a multi-site linked system available for use by any licensed amateur at no cost. During crisis events the Bay-Net system is allocated for use by the American Red Cross Bay Area (ARCBA) chapter's Disaster Communications Team. Learn more about Bay-Net at http://www.bay-net.org/