The San Juan County Amateur Radio Society is pleased to announce that their ham radio operators will be at two locations in the county for the US-wide “Field Day.” This public is invited to stop by and ask questions, and perhaps even talk on an amateur radio, on Saturday, June 23.

For over 100 years, Amateur Radio — often called ham radio — has allowed people from all walks of life to experiment with electronics and communications techniques, as well as provide a free public service to their communities during a disaster, all without needing a cell phone or the Internet. Field Day demonstrates ham radio’s ability to work reliably under any conditions from almost any location and create an independent communications network. Over 35,000 people from thousands of locations participated in Field Day in 2017.

Amateur radio provides an important service for our community by providing communications with the “outside world” regardless of whether power, fiber, or cell phone coverage is available. Ham radio volunteers work closely with the county’s Department of Emergency Management to practice for emergencies, and hams have provided important support on such occasions when Internet and cell phone coverage were not available in the islands, as was the case a few years ago.

Lopez hams will be at the Lopez Island Farmer’s Market, beginning when the market opens at 10 a.m.

San Juan and Orcas hams will be at the Cattle Point Interpretive Center on San Juan Island, near the Cattle Point Lighthouse, beginning at about 11 a.m. and through the afternoon.

Anyone may become a licensed Amateur Radio operator. There are over 725,000 licensed hams in the United States, as young as 5 and as old 100.

or more information, contact Jim Hooper at K9QJS at (360) 317-5286.