Ham Radio Operators on the Air for Nationwide Event June 27 - 28

Amateur (or "ham") radio operators from the Grand Strand Amateur Radio Club in Horry County will be participating in a national amateur radio exercise from 2:00 pm on Saturday, June 27th, until 2:00 pm on Sunday, June 28th. The event is ARRL Field Day (www.arrl.org/FieldDay), an annual amateur radio activity organized since 1933 by ARRL, the national association for amateur radio in the United States.
The Grand Strand Amateur Radio Club (GSARC) (www.w4gs.org) will join hams from across North America in Field Day by establishing temporary ham radio stations in public locations to demonstrate their skill and service. Their use of radio signals, which reach across borders, bring people together while providing essential communication in the service of communities. Field Day highlights ham radio's ability to work reliably under any conditions from almost any location and create an independent, wireless communication network. Field Day advocates the use of alternative energy sources such as solar panels, batteries and generators to power radio equipment.
"Hams have a long history of serving our communities when storms or other disasters damage critical communications infrastructure, including cell towers" said Todd Rush (W7STR), GSARC President. "Ham radio operates completely independently of the internet and phone system and a station can be set up almost anywhere in minutes. Hams can quickly raise a wire antenna in a tree or on a mast, connect it to a radio and power source, and communicate effectively with others," Rush added.
Members of the public are invited to visit the Field Day site in the picnic area behind the Trinity United Methodist Church, 196 Godfrey Ave., Conway, SC 29526 to learn more about the various types of radios and communication methods. Kids and adults have the opportunity to use a ham radio under the watchful eye of a licensed amateur radio operator and communicate with hams great distances away.
During Field Day 2025, more than 26,000 hams participated from thousands of locations across North America. According to ARRL, there are more than 750,000 amateur radio licensees in the US, and an estimated 3 million worldwide.
Among the tenets of the Amateur Radio Service is developing and practicing STEM skills in math, radio technology and radio communications. Hams range in age from as young as 9 to older than 100.
GSARC supports training and testing of individuals interested in getting licensed by the FCC as an amateur radio operator. For more information about Field Day or the Grand Strand Amateur Radio Club, contact Gary Malhiot (AB4GM), Public Information Officer at GSARC-PIO@w4gs.org.

Category: Community | Amateur Radio