By Mary O’KEEFE

Local ham radio operators spent the night at Verdugo Park over the weekend as they participated in the annual Field Day. As reported in the June 15 issue of CV Weekly, Field Day is a 24-hour time period when hams, as amateur radio operators are commonly known, from across North America contact each other. Though the operators do little more than recognize each other’s signal, the exercise also gives the hams a chance to show the public ham radio’s science, skill and service.

“We are another line of communication when the public infrastructure goes down,” said Bob Cesarone, a member of the Crescenta Valley Radio Club.

While brief contact across the nation with other hams is the foundation of the event, anyone who spends time around these operators soon finds out it is much more than that. It is a great way for these radio operators to network with each other, to share their experiences including building a radio and or using it. Members give each other little tips as they work together to contact as many stations as they can.

“We had a very good turn out,” said Gene Roske, a member of CVRC.

Roske is also a volunteer with GEARS, (Glendale Emergency Amateur Radio Service). Many of the CVRC members also volunteer with GEARS. Members help with emergencies with the City of Glendale and also with events like the Montrose Christmas Parade.

Field Day began in 1993 and since then has grown to more than 40,000 hams throughout North America participating. This past weekend hams contacted other radio operators from all over North America including British Columbia, Texas, Washington State and up and down the coast. Those at Verdugo Park heard from people who were calling from their Field Day operations set up in parking lots, parks and even from on top of mountains.

One of the hams’ great points of pride is how they power their radios. They did not plug into power from the Glendale parks but instead were able to keep the radios going all night using solar panels that had been purchased a few years ago by Larry Cohen.

“I bought it as a kit. Three solar panels, a stand and a charge controller,” Cohen said.

Those solar panels weigh about 42 pounds and kept two radio stations charged throughout the night.  

“I keep it fully charged at home and it can run my radio for a full week,” he said.

Cohen gave an example of how valuable this hobby can be to the public. Not too long ago some construction was being done outside a local hospital. Construction workers cut communication cables. They contacted hams who acted as go-betweens for calls that were routed first to the hams then back to the hospital.

“It’s a hobby with so many facets,” he added.

Mike Lichtman, president of CV Radio Club, was happy with the Field Day results though he acknowledged “we are not very competitive.”

The number of contacts reached was more than 120 by 7 a.m. on Sunday, but it was the number of people who stopped by to talk and might be future hams that made the event a success to Lichtman.

The CV Radio Club meets on the second Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at the USC-Verdugo Hills Hospital.

Photos by Mary O’KEEFE and the CV Radio Club

  Mary Okeefe