On June 28 and 29, Amateur Radio (“ham”) operators across the country will leave the comfort of their home-based radio “shacks” for a weekend of emergency preparedness activities called “Field Day.” The event is designed to test operators’ skills in setting up and operating radio communication equipment in situations where electrical power is limited or unavailable.
The idea is to simulate the conditions that can occur during natural disasters, hurricane, earthquake, flood, and man-made. The event is sponsored by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL)—the national association for Amateur Radio. The first Field Day took place in 1933.
During Field Day, operators set up radio transmitting and receiving equipment in local parks, at shopping malls or even in backyards, and get on the air using generators, battery or solar power to run their equipment.
This type of exercise, along with the operators’ dedication to public service, allows them to step in and help emergency officials and relief organizations when disaster strikes. Cell phones, the internet and other communications technologies have yet to replace what Amateur Radio operators can do. They have a long track record of getting the message through when all other systems fail.
This year, SBARA, the South Bay Radio Association, will be holding its preparedness exercise at Central Park in Fremont, on Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, June 29. There are 758,000 Licensed Amateur Radio operators in the United States—recorded as of May 25, 2025—including 1,295 Licensed Amateurs in Fremont.
There are more than three million Licensed Amateur Radio Operators world-wide. Through the ARRL, ham volunteers provide emergency communications for the Department of Homeland Security, HS Citizens’ Corps such as CERT, FEMA, Salvation Army, and hundreds of state and local agencies, all free of any charges.
The public is most cordially invited to come, meet and talk with the hams to see what modern Amateur Radio can do.
