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Nearly 40,000 amateur radio operators (also known as “ham” radio operators) from the United States and Canada will participate in the annual “Field Day” drill, sponsored by ARRL–The National Association for Amateur Radio. Members of the Tullahoma-based Middle Tennessee Amateur Radio Society will erect antennas and operate radios under simulated emergency conditions at Old Stone Fort State Park for 24 continuous hours starting on Saturday, June 28, at 1 p.m. 

The public is invited to visit the site starting at 10:00 a.m. that day, learn about amateur radio and emergency communications, and even operate the equipment under the supervision of FCC-licensed operators.  A display relating to the ham radio activity will also be available with information on how to become involved in the amateur radio activity.

Traditional Morse code, voice, and digital communications methods with mostly simple wire antennas will be used to allow for communications with thousands of other similar “ham” radio stations.  Much of the radio equipment is owned by its members and will be operated from emergency power generators.  The annual operating event will test operating, technical, and problem-solving skills and is also a contest among stations in various classes, based upon the power of each station and the number of transmitters simultaneously on the air. 

For additional information on the Middle Tennessee Amateur Radio Society or on “ham” radio, contact event chairman Michael Hamby by either e-mailing ham2007jump@gmail.com or call MTARS Public Relations at 931-993-5800.