What is ARRL Field Day?
Field Day is a picnic, a campout, practice for emergencies, an informal contest and, most of all, FUN! ARRL Field Day is the single most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada. On the fourth weekend of June of each year, more than 35,000 radio amateurs gather with their clubs, groups or simply with friends to operate from remote locations.
It is a time where many aspects of Amateur Radio come together to highlight our many roles. While some will treat it as a contest, other groups use the opportunity to practice their emergency response capabilities. It is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate Amateur Radio to the organizations that Amateur Radio might serve in an emergency, as well as the general public. For many clubs, ARRL Field Day is one of the highlights of their annual calendar. The contest part is simply to contact as many other stations as possible and to learn to operate our radio gear in abnormal situations and less than optimal conditions. We use these same skills when we help with events such as marathons and bike-a-thons; fund-raisers such as walk-a-thons; celebrations such as parades; and exhibits at fairs, malls and museums — these are all large, pre-planned, non-emergency activities.
But despite the development of very complex, modern communications systems — or maybe because they ARE so complex — ham radio has been called into action again and again to provide communications in crises when it really matters. Amateur Radio people (also called “hams”) are well known for our communications support in real disaster and post-disaster situations.
What is the ARRL?
The American Radio Relay League is the 150,000+ member national association for Amateur Radio in the USA. ARRL is the primary source of information about what is going on in ham radio. It provides books, news, support and information for individuals and clubs, special events, continuing education classes and other benefits for its members.
What is Amateur Radio?
Often called “ham radio,” the Amateur Radio Service has been around for a century. In that time, it’s grown into a worldwide community of licensed operators using the airwaves with every conceivable means of communications technology. Its people range in age from youngsters to grandparents. Even rocket scientists and a rock star or two are in the ham ranks. Most, however, are just normal folks like you and me who enjoy learning and being able to transmit voice, data and pictures through the air to unusual places, both near and far, without depending on commercial systems.
The Amateur Radio frequencies are the last remaining place in the usable radio spectrum where you as an individual can develop and experiment with wireless communications. Hams not only can make and modify their equipment, but can create whole new ways to do things.
What is the Panhandle Amateur Radio Club (PARC)?
The Panhandle Amateur Radio Club is a non-profit organization for the promotion and enjoyment of the Amateur Radio Hobby; fellowship with other panhandle operators; emergency preparedness and public service. The Club is affiliated with the American Radio Relay League, Inc.
The Club meets on the first Saturday of each month at 9:30 am at the Amarillo Emergency Services Building located at 1900 Line Avenue in Amarillo, TX.
All licensed Amateur Radio operators; any one interested in the radio hobby or those wanting to obtain an amateur radio license are invited to attend. License classes are held as needed and testing in held monthly following the monthly meetings. Programs are both informative and educational, presenting topics of interest to the Amateur radio community. Those wishing to sit for the license exam, should contact one of the club officers prior to the meeting to schedule the exam.
Club members hold an annual Picnic/Swapfest in May and participate in Field Day in June. Publice service activities include providing race communications for the Annual MS 150 Bike Race, participation in the annual Skywarn Recognition Day and Boy Scout JOTA activities. In 2010, members also participated in the Tri-State Fair Parade. Members interested in emergency preparedness will find enjoyment in participating in the local Panhandle ARES special interest group.
The Panhandle Amateur Radio Club is grateful to the staff at Cal Farley’s Boy’s Ranch for hosting the 2012 PARC Field Day event at their facility this coming June 23-24, 2012. We would be thrilled if the Boy’s Ranch family would stop by and visit us to share in the fun.
What is Cal Farley’s Boy’s Ranch?
About Us
Cal Farley’s is one of America’s largest privately-funded child and family service providers specializing in both residential and community-based services at no cost to the families of children in our care.
Cal Farley’s offers three types of services to children and families: residential, educational and community-based. The residential, or campus-based, programs offer children a campus environment where children live in homes or cottages at Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch or Cal Farley’s Girlstown, U.S.A.. Ten to 12 children live in the homes with house parent couples providing supervision, mentoring and parenting. Our basic-care services offer 24-hour supervision in a small community setting.
The educational programs provide the children on our campuses academic, athletic and extracurricular opportunities similar to those offered at other Texas public schools.
Our community-based services currently offer a variety of resources to children and families living in or near four Texas metropolitan areas, including Amarillo, Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. Not all children require or would benefit from our residential services, but many families can benefit from our expertise without resorting to the challenges related to out-of-home placement.
Contact Neal Lowe, W5PVI, for details on how you can participate or visit the 2012 ARRL PARC Field Day event.
Here’s a few photos of the 2012 ARRL PARC Field Day site at the Boy’s Ranch Facility (for antenna sizing and perspective, the site is roughly 80 x 135 paces)
