Amateur radio operators from Brewster, Jeff Davis, Presidio, and Pecos counties will be participating in a national radio exercise Saturday and Sunday, June 26-27. Big Bend Amateur Radio Club will be making round-the-clock contacts with clubs all over the country in an operation called field day.

The public is invited to see radio operation in action, find out what the BBARC does, and actually Get On The Air. GOTA introduces anyone to radio operation under the direction of the station operator by making contact with another GOTA station. Operators under 18 will get a certificate of merit for their ac complishment. The location is U.S. Highway 118 south from Alpine, just past Big Hill at the Double Diamond clubhouse. Look for antenna towers on the west side across from La Vista RV Park.

Field day is about informing the public of the role of amateur radio, and for hams to operate much as they do when responding to emergency situations. Amateur radio functions completely independent of the internet and phone systems. Stations can quickly be set up anywhere, and operate from an emergency power source. The national organization, ARRL, sponsors the event, and BBARC is an ARRL affiliated club.

Field Day is a campout for the Big Bend radio club, with group meals and taking shifts operating different radios on various frequencies and in different modes. Club members will man the radios around the clock until Sunday afternoon. Operating begins Saturday at 1 p.m., with setup Saturday morning. The club will compete for points, and there are many ways to earn points, including public and youth participation.

BBARC is a nonprofit organization with 60 members, and was founded in 1974. Many of the members are already part of emergency and fire teams, and the club is integral to emergency communications in the area. The club operates two weekly nets, and funds and maintains six repeaters located on mountains in the fourcounty area, covering around 18,000 square miles.

The six repeaters are linked, so a conversation on one repeater is also heard on the other repeaters. Most of the area covered by the BBARC repeater system is remote wilderness with no cellular coverage, including Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park.

BBARC and ARRL are avenues for obtaining an FCC amateur radio license and to start operating ham radios.

For more information, contact the club at K5FD@ARLL.net, and visit bigbendarc.com.