For 48 years, the Highlands County Amateur Radio Club has been bringing together people interested in amateur radio while quietly serving the community through education, emergency preparedness and public service. That mission was on display June 27-28 during the club’s annual ARRL Field Day at the Placid Lakes Community Center.
The event welcomed visitors of all ages to experience amateur radio firsthand. Throughout the weekend, operators demonstrated portable radio stations with antennas set up outside the community center while making contacts across the country and beyond. Saturday morning, members also made contact with the International Space Station.
Field Day offered more than an opportunity to watch operators on the air. Visitors could build simple FM radios, learn the basics of Morse code, visit a youth station and talk with club members about becoming licensed amateur radio operators.
According to club Vice President Ann Singleton, the Highlands County Amateur Radio Club promotes all aspects of amateur radio while helping new operators earn their FCC licenses and advance to higher license classes. The club also conducts testing sessions and provides opportunities for members to continue learning and developing their skills.
Those skills become especially important during emergencies. Club members participate in the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and SKYWARN and may assist with communications during hurricanes and other disasters. Amateur radio operators can also serve in Emergency Operations Centers when normal communications are disrupted.
While many people rely on cell phones for everyday communication, amateur radio provides an independent communications system that can continue operating when traditional infrastructure is unavailable.
Field Day is held each year by amateur radio clubs across the country, but for the Highlands County Amateur Radio Club it is also an opportunity to introduce the public to an organization that continues to educate, train and serve the community nearly five decades after it was founded.
For more information, visit these sites:
Highlands County Amateur Radio Club
ARRL: The National Association for Amateur Radio
ARISS: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
ARES: Amateur Radio Emergency Service
SKYWARN: Storm Spotter Program
