ADDISON — Members of the Addison County Amateur Radio Association will gather at the Chimney Point State Historic Site in Addison on Saturday and Sunday, June 25 and 26, for their annual Amateur Radio Service Field Days, part of a nationwide field days event. On Saturday, from 2 to 5:30 p.m., and Sunday, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., they will have a simulated emergency station. They will be happy to talk with the public about what they are doing.
Visitors will be able to see ham radio’s capabilities and learn how to get their own FCC radio license. They will experience how far away the operators can communicate. The radio operators will use only emergency power supplies to practice emergency communications, with no reliance on phone systems, internet or commercial power sources. This outdoor program on the grounds is free.
Ham radio operators provide critical communications in emergencies when telephones and electricity are out. During many natural disasters, amateur radio is often the only way to communicate. To learn more about amateur radio in Addison County, go to www.acara-vt.org or meet the Addison County hams on site.