June 29th, 2025 by WCBC Radio

Members of the Mountain Amateur Radio Club are participating in the single most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada. Field Day is practice for emergencies, an informal contest and, most of all, fun and free for all ages. The event today is located at the old LaVale Swim Club parking lot at 599 Georges Creek Blvd. Amateur radio operators provide a critical public service for our community; during times of disaster, they are able to provide reliable communications when the normal infrastructure is offline. Licensed by the Federal Communications Commission and trained in the art and science of radio communication and basic electronics theory, memebers own and maintain communications equipment and are prohibited by federal law from receiving payment services. ARRL, our national organization, has built relationships with several served agencies including FEMA, the Red Cross, Salvation Army, and many others. Club President Chris Clites spoke with WCBC news that he encourages the public to come out and see firsthand the benefits of amateur radio, in times like today people should be prepared and amateur radio can play an important role when all other forms of public communication fail…

"It's the idea of coming out and being able to set up antennas in a nick of time in a nick of emergency and being able to support the community. We had a great time, set up three for antennas, a lot of people showed up and made a lot of contacts."

This public service is easily extended during non‐emergency civic events, such as parades, marathons, and street festivals. Field Day is our chance to show the science, service, and skill we can offer to our community free of charge. For more information about the Mountain Amateur Radio Club www.wmdhamradio.org