24-hour amateur radio field day

A 24-hour amateur radio field day took place in Hawkesbury's Confederation Park recently and Don Dashney - a long-time member of the local Prescott-Russell Amateur Radio Emergency Services (PR-ARES) - does some last-minute fine tuning to his radio equipment before the official start of the event.

ARES club emergency coordinator Henry Jarzyn gives direction while member James Paquette adjusts one of several  radio antennae set up in Confederation Park for the event.

(photos J. Sarrazin)

Member of the Prescott-Russell Amateur Radio Emergency Services (PR-ARES) held a field day at Confederation Park in Hawkesbury recently. The North American amateur radio field day coincided with the town's St-Jean Baptiste festivities. The group set up two stations in Confederation Park and ham radio operators manned 2-hour shifts over a 24-hour period in an effort to contact as many other ham operators as possible across North America in that time period. The local amateur radio club has volunteered its services and equipment in times of need such as when the ice storm of 1998 blacked out parts of Quebec and Ontario and the field day is a good way to raise public awareness while helping to sharpen the radio operators' skills.

ARES also uses its portable radios and experienced operators to provide communications in support of community events such as parades, walk-a-thons, bike-a-thons or any large event. There is never any charge for this public service and the organization is always on the lookout for new members. Check out the organization's website at www.pr-ares.org.