FIELD DAY PRESS RELEASE

NEWS SUMMARY: Anoka County Radio Club, Anoka County ARES and Minneapolis Radio Club Hams Gear Up to Make Long Distance Contacts and Practice Emergency Communication Skills.

Blaine, May 7, 2006 - Area Amateur Radio operators will work around the clock on the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, June 24 & 25 to set up field radio communication stations, get on the air and contact hundreds of other amateur operators, also known as hams, in the US and Canada as part of participation in the American Radio Relay League's Field Day.

Field Day is the annual "shakedown run" for the ARRL's National Field Organization. Field Day is a way for hams to get outdoors and have fun under some difficult conditions. It's also a chance to test and improve amateur-radio operator's emergency communication skills. The Anoka County Radio Club, Anoka County ARES and the Minneapolis Radio Club will use generators and battery power to simulate operation in a remote area and in emergency conditions, and will set up antennas in the field. The challenge is to put together a self-sufficient, working radio station quickly and begin making contacts with other radio operators.

The ARRL Field Organization has been effective in establishing emergency communications nets during floods, hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, terrorist attacks, and other major disasters, whether they be local, regional, or national in scope. Members of formal emergency organizations such as the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and the Radio Amateur Communication Emergency Services (RACES) regularly participate. The League estimates that more than 35,000 hams participate in Field Day every year.

Anoka County Radio Club Field Day operations will take place at the Blaine City Hall. Set up begins at 5pm on Friday, June 23. Formal operations will start at noon Saturday, June 24 and will continue until noon Sunday. The public is invited. For more information, contact Dave Runkle, 763-784-4384 (home) or 763-744-2447 (work).

SUMMARY: Anoka County area amateur radio operators to contact hundreds of other hams throughout North America in the largest ham radio on-air event.

WHO: Licensed Amateur Radio Operators in and around the Anoka County area.

WHAT: Hams will set up and operate field radio stations to contact other hams throughout the US and Canada over 24 hours. Objective is to see who can make the highest number of contacts during the contest period.

WHERE: Blaine City Hall south/east parking lot, Blaine, Minnesota.

WHEN: June 24 and 25, 2006 (Noon Saturday until noon Sunday). Setup begins at 5pm Friday.

WHY: Participation in the American Radio Relay League's Field Day. Amateur Radio operators practice communication skills under primitive conditions, with generators and battery- powered equipment and portable antennas. Field Day is a competition as well as a "trial run" for emergency communication skills used during disaster situations.

Photo opportunities, interviews, activities of local participants in important national Amateur Radio event. See different Amateur Radio communication modes in action, including voice, Morse code, and digital communications.