By Macey Wurm
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Starting this morning, 31,000 “hams” – amateur radio operators – across the continent tuned in for the North American Radio Field Day. The 24-hour event is widely participated in across the continent; Seattle-area operators gathered at South Seattle College’s north field on Puget Ridge to set up shop.
The annual Field Day serves as “a way for all ham operators to have a weekend where they’re all trying to talk to each other and show off the different things that we do,” said Matthew Shaw, vice president of the West Seattle Amateur Radio Club. The club is devoted to all kinds of ham radio, offers classes for people interested in getting their radio operator license, and meets once a month at the Salvation Army.
Shaw explained that there are different uses for ham radio including sending data, technical and social communication, community service in times of emergency, and for contesting. Contesting serves as the competitive outlet for hams.
“Some people really love the competition aspect of it because it’s all about having a good system and being efficient,” Shaw explained.
When contesting, operators typically keep a log book for different criteria including how many people they have contacted, attempting to make contact in every U.S. state, or competing for contacts made the furthest away.
Operators Ruth Hillier and Doug Kingston, president of Puget Sound Repeater Group were manning the contest tent and trying to make as many contacts as possible all over the United States and Canada. This is done through the use of shortwave radio which operates at a higher frequency.
Others are more interested in the emergency response aspect of ham radio, and its potential use in times of crisis. This is the case for Shaw, who showed off a rig containing a radio station in a box. The system can be set up anywhere off grid.
Hams were equally as passionate about radio as they were about continuing to get the community and the younger generation involved in the hobby. The parking lot adjacent to the field is set up to include a section for volunteer-led classes on prep, radio, and how to become a contester, to name a few. Another tent is called the “Get on the air station,” intended as a space for newly licensed or unlicensed people to talk on the radio with a coach.
“We really look forward to getting people interested in the hobby… not too many young folks.” Shaw said. He offered an explanation why: “It’s the idea of ‘I can contact someone, I have a phone.’ But realize the complexity of that system, how much it relies on to actually work,” He reasoned. “If you have a radio and a few basic things, you can actually maintain some basic communications.”
If you’re interested in visiting before this ends around 11 am Sunday, note that some hams plan to stay on site overnight and continue operating through the wee hours of the morning. The South Seattle College field and parking lot offer a much more spacious setup than most enthusiasts can have at home.
For more on what local hams are doing on Field Day, go here.