#ARRL Field Day coming soon to a location near you. #FieldDay2019 #hamradio

The Oklahoma City Autopatch Association (OCAPA), a local amateur radio club, will be participating in "Field Day, 2019", a national amateur radio emergency communications exercise, on the 22-23 of June, 2019. Sponsored by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), A  Field Day, 2019" will begin on Saturday at 1:00 PM, continuing for 24 hours until 1:00 PM Sunday. This year's OCAPA Field Day site will be at the Atkinson Heritage Center ‘Pony Barn’. Set up will begin at 9:00 AM, Saturday morning.

This 24 hour communications exercise demonstrates the value of amateur radio and allows amateur radio operators an opportunity to practice establishing communication stations in non-traditional locations, operating them for extended periods, and give new amateur radio operators training in emergency communications procedures. Visitors are welcome and will even be given an opportunity to operate one of the A Field Day@ stations. Approximately 1,500 amateur radio stations will participate in "Field Day, 2019".

Amateur radio operators are best know for serving the Oklahoma area as storm spotters during threatening weather and providing supplemental communications to first responder agencies. Most recently, amateur radio operators provided communication and backup power for the Bridge Creek Fire Departments after power was lost and antennas for their public service radio equipment were damage by tornadoes.

After the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building, over three hundred amateur radio operators helped sustain emergency communications for rescue, recovery and relief operations. Communications operations were sustained for over 330 hours through the support of 'hams' from Metropolitan Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Lawton and around Oklahoma. 'Hams' from Kansas and Texas also came to Oklahoma City to lend their support.

Additionally, amateurs provide communications support to various public events such as the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. Over 100 amateur radio operators provide public service communications for the Marathon. The amateur radio community has been supporting the Marathon since its= first running in 2001.

A majority of the NASA International Space Station (ISS) astronauts are licensed amateur radio operators. They operate a portable 'ham' station from the ISS to promote interest in science, and amateur radio, among elementary and middle school students.

To locate your LOCAL Field Day site, visit the Field Day Locator.  Clubs and groups, register your site so people can find you.