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Local amateur radio club invites public to try radios at field day event

Don Kemp a member of the Lisbon Area Amateur Radio Operator’s Association operates a radio. (Photo submitted)

LISBON — The Lisbon Area Amateur Radio Association (LAARA) will be hosting a field day for anyone interested in trying their hand at being an amateur radio operator.

The event, which runs for a 24-hour period from 2 p.m. on June 24 to 2 p.m. on June 25 at Guilford Lake Park, is free and open to all ages.

The event is described as a radio communications event to bring together amateur radio operators (also known as hams) together for a combined picnic/campfire and give operators a chance to practice for emergencies and host contests as well as demonstrate radio communications to the general public or organizations.

“Often called ham radio, the Amateur Radio Service is a worldwide community of licensed operators using the airwaves with every conceivable means of communications technology,” according to the National Association for Amateur Radio (ARRL).

“It is made up of people who enjoy learning and being able to transmit voice, data and pictures through the airwaves to places near and far with depending on commercial systems,” he said.

Harrold Watson and Donna Smith, both members of the Lisbon Area Amateur Radio Operator’s Club, talk on radios during the Amateur Radio Operator’s Association’s field day event held in 2022 at Guilford Lake Park. (Photo submitted)

Donna Smith, public information officer for LAARA, said her organization is participating in the event and looking for different ways to get more people interested in the amateur radio hobby.

Smith said the field day event has kind of turned into a nationwide contest for radio operators to operate outside off batteries and self-sufficiently and make contact with other operators across the country and sometimes across the world.

Anybody who is interested is welcome to come out to the event and try it out with no license needed. Those who come will be invited to get on a radio and talk.

LAARA, which meets the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Columbiana County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) located at 215 S. Market St. in Lisbon, is looking for new members to join.

“We do all kinds of events throughout the year, and we also have a close connection with the high school radio club which we partner with for a few events throughout the year to try to get younger members interested,” Smith said.

Ryan Kiko oversees younger members Katie and Elise Campbell of the Lisbon Area Amateur Radio Operators use the radios during the Amateur Radio Operator’s field day event at Guilford Lake Park in 2022. (Photo submitted)

Smith said every other month the meetings are for club business, and every other month is an activity type meeting such as a fox hunt where participants work to find a hidden transmitter placed somewhere on the Columbiana County Fairgrounds.

Smith would like to see more of the younger generation get involved with amateur radio operating. Currently the club has a couple of younger members who are licensed and operate radios at the ages of 10 and 11 years old.

Additionally, LAARA holds a license testing session for anyone interested in getting their license the second Saturday of each month, also at the Columbiana County EMA office.

Club membership dues are $12 annually, but new members are not required to pay dues right away. They are invited to attend a couple of meetings before deciding on if they want to become a member and get their license.

Additional information for LAARA can be found by visiting the association’s Facebook page or their website at www.k8ggb.com.

Ryan Kiko, Patrick Smith and Harrold Watson operate radios during an Amateur Radio field day event. (Photo submitted)

kgarabrandt@mojonews.com

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