Ham Radio Field Day Open to the Public

The Blackstone Valley Amateur Radio Club (BVARC), whose government-issued club “callsign” is W1DDD, on the weekend of Sat, Jun 27 and Sun, Jun 28 will set up a radio transmitting and receiving demonstration station using tents and trailers on the grounds of the Scituate Senior Center, 1315 Chopmist Hill Rd, Scituate, the former location of the Chopmist Hill Inn. The station is open to the public and youth are especially encouraged to attend: amateur “ham” radio has often been the catalyst for young people and teenagers to pursue a tinkering or technical inclination that as adults led them to careers in engineering or science. Even children as young as 6 years old have managed to learn enough to pass the government licensing examinations covering basic radio theory and operating rules, earning their “ham” licenses from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Although some of the station will be set up beginning on Fri, Jun 26 and open for tours whenever operators are at the site, official operating times run from 2pm, Sat, Jun 27 through 3pm, Sun, Jun 28.

The location used by W1DDD was immediately before and during World War II the home of a top-secret FCC listening post monitoring the airwaves for both domestic and foreign radio traffic that could provide information on spies and saboteurs operating under deep cover in North America as well as enemy military operations in Europe. Due to unusually favorable conditions of terrain and elevation atop Chopmist Hill, the monitoring station was the largest and most effective in a network of 13 such posts throughout the country, but few traces remain of the original facility and its extensive array of antennas hastily constructed in complete secrecy in 1941.

Amateur “ham” radio is often the last line of communications in time of disaster. When earthquakes, blizzards, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, or even armed enemy action shut down the ordinary means of communication, knocking out conventional electricity and telephone systems, often radio hams using their personally owned portable equipment, running on batteries, generators or solar power, have been the only way of moving critical information into and out of an affected area. Since 1933, in every peacetime year, the national organization of amateur radio operators, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), has conducted a nationwide exercise to test and demonstrate this emergency response capability. Despite the serious purpose behind it as an emergency drill, tens of thousands of ham operators enjoy the fourth full weekend in June as an opportunity for an annual fun camping expedition where radio clubs set up equipment in places not usually used for such purposes.

“Field Day is a great opportunity for people to discover the fun, excitement and important services found in amateur radio,” said Richard Langlois, BVARC president, whose personal callsign is W1TBR. Demonstrations will include setting up a radio, building antennas, power supplies, morse code and earth-orbiting satellite communications. Refreshments will be available.

The reporter, Michael Bilow, is licensed under personal callsign N1BEE.

Blackstone Valley Amateur Radio Club (BVARC) Field Day web site: w1ddd.org Getting there: google.com/maps/place/1315+Chopmist+Hill+Rd,+North+Scituate,+RI+02857/@41.817935,-71.665331,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x89e4373364525495:0x7a388cab57bd67f

American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Field Day web site: arrl.org/field-day