PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Local ham radio enthusiasts will team up with emergency personnel Saturday and Sunday, June 24 and 25, at the forestry building on the Northern Maine Fairgrounds in Presque Isle for the annual Amateur Radio Field Day.
The Aroostook Emergency Management Agency, along with the Aroostook Amateur Radio Association and the St. John Valley Amateur Radio Association, will participate in a mock exercise simulating a catastrophic event, during which they will explore providing emergency radio backup to fire, police and other emergency services when their radio services are overloaded. Event workers will raise a 100-foot steel tower laden with antennas at the site.
In the case of the 9-11 disaster, said organizers, terrorists used the cell phone system to communicate. Emergency personnel will now shut down the cell system during disasters to prevent that from happening again. Volunteer amateur radio operators will be important means of communication in an emergency.
The Aroostook and St. John Valley radio groups will work together with the Amateur Emergency Radio Service on Field Day to practice making as many contacts with the Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) and with other amateur radio operators across the US and Canada throughout the 24-hour period.
This is also one of the few times when the radio operators allow the general public to try using the radios, under their direct supervision, and to participate in the various forms of communications at hand in time of need.
“We are especially interested in getting the youth interested in this wonderful hobby and service to the community,” said radio operator Jim Cerrato. “Please encourage your Scouts, brothers and sisters as well as parents and friends to join us at the Presque Isle Fairgrounds on the 24th or 25th of June.”
ARRL Field Day is the single most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada.
In addition, amateur radio testing will take place at 3 p.m. June 24 in the forestry building.
