Radio Relay League Field Day planned

SAGLE — What’s the most popular amateur radio event in the U.S. and Canada?

The Amateur Radio Relay League Field Day, which is being held at the Bonner County Multi-Use Facility on Saturday, June 23, and Sunday, June 24. The facility is located off U.S. Highway 95 north of Dufort Road.

There will be an open house from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday. The public is encouraged to attend the event.

Members of Bonner County’s Amateur Radio Emergency Service/Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services will be participating in the nationwide event. ARES is a contingent of trained amateur radio operator volunteers organized to assist in public service and emergency communications. It is organized and sponsored by the American Radio Relay League and the Radio Amateurs of Canada.

Since 1933, the Field Day has been held to test the field preparedness and emergency communications abilities of the amateur radio community. It has evolved into the largest on-the-air operation involving ham radio operators across North America and has established temporary stations in public locations to showcase their science and skill of operators.

At sites from the tundra of Alaska to the sandy beaches of Puerto Rico, operators bring together their resources to demonstrate the capabilities of amateur radio.

“It’s easy for anyone to pick up a computer or computer or smartphone, connect to the internet and communicate, with no knowledge of how the devices function or connect to each other,” said Dave Isgur of ARRL. “But if theres an interruption of service or you’re out of range of a cell tower, you have no way to communicate. Ham radio functions completely independent of the internet or cellphone infrastructure, can interface with tables or smartphones, and can be set up almost anywhere in minutes. That’s the beauty of amateur radio during a communications outage.”