Photos:  WCARS keys up the mic for ham radio Field Day

Posted on by Max Cooper

In a tangle of wire and a din of arcane noise, local amateur radio operators set up improvised stations in the Asheville Firefighter Training Center Saturday to participate in the American Radio Relay League’s Field Day. The Western Carolina Amateur Radio Society (WCARS) and the Buncombe County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (BCARES) joined forces for the national event that is intended to prepare ham radio enthusiasts for emergency operations.

The objective: To contact as many other operators as possible in a 24-hour period, using battery and generator power and impromptu antennas.  Contacts are made in both voice transmission and Morse code. 

As of 3 p.m. Saturday, the group seemed off to a slow start, due in part to difficulties caused by the sun’s current lack of sunspots, whose magnetic properties can enhance radio communications on Earth.  Hopes were high, though, that night-time operation would yield better results.  While many will return to their homes for rest, at least one operator plans to camp on the grounds.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

6 thoughts on “Photos:  WCARS keys up the mic for ham radio Field Day”

    • raoulvega

      Some kids in scouting get interested but general interest died down with cell phones and internet. Most people take radio communication for granted. Interest is picking up with Preppers and you can bet there are spare Ham radios stashed away in Faraday cages across the country.

  2. Big Al

    A lot of god this will do us when all of the electrical devices are fried “One Second After”.

    Maybe we need to be practicing sending smoke signals instead. Is anyone at the Firefly (or whatever) Gathering discussing this?

  5. Max Cooper

    Hey Big Al, one gentleman there was operating with an old-school tube radio from the back of his old-school carburetor-started truck. EMP proof?

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.