Public Relations

Connecticut ARES Assists in Bridgeport Hospital Drill

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Screenshot of EmComm Drill St. Vincent Med Ctr Publicity CT ARESMark O’Grady, KC1UHV, writes on the Greater Bridgeport ARC mailing list:
 
[Connecticut Amateur Radio Emergency Service was mentioned favorably in this television news story.] 
 
From NEWS12 Connecticut: “From Dozens of nurses and doctors at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport spent Tuesday morning engaged in a hands-on emergency preparedness drill. The drill, which began just after 9:30 a.m., involved several scenarios designed to strengthen coordination among staff members and departments.” [Full story]
 

WABI: “Waldo County (ME) EMA hosting Nat’l Ham Radio Field Day events”

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Waldo Co EMA FD WABI screenshotWABI News Desk:

SWANVILLE, Maine (WABI) – Saturday is National ‘Ham Radio Field Day.’ The Waldo County Emergency Management Agency is among the places in Maine hosting events. They will be demonstrating the importance of radio equipment during cases of emergencies.

At noon, they will be at 685 Swan Lake Ave, Swanville. However, the day’s events will begin with an open house and BBQ at 10 a.m.

[Full story]

Central Massachusetts ARA Field Day, June 28-29, 2025

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Central MA ARA Field Day photoCourtesy Worcester Patch:

Have you ever wanted to contact new people worldwide by radio? Now’s your chance! From 2 pm on Saturday. June 28th to 2 pm on Sunday, June 29th, members of the Central Massachusetts Amateur Radio Association (CMARA) will be at the Trout Book Recreation Area at 320 Manning Street in Holden, MA. participating in a national amateur radio emergency communications exercise known as Field Day.

[Full story]

W1YK: “Participatory Archiving Reveals Radio Club Treasures”

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photo of W1YK archive articleFrom The WPI Journal:

“Archival work often involves unearthing buried information, but, as with the content it seeks to reveal, the process itself can be shrouded in mystery. The labor that goes into processing special collections is multifaceted. A particularly overlooked aspect of this endeavor is the partnership that exists between archivists and researchers. Whereas archivists are challenged to prioritize access over perfection, researchers are afforded the opportunity to examine materials with greater depth.

“One such ongoing collaboration is between the WPI Archives and Special Collections and the WPI Wireless Association…”

[Full story]

Brattleboro Reformer: “Ham radio operators on the air for nationwide event”

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SHAFTSBURY — Ham radio operators from the Southern Vermont Amateur Radio Club (SOVARC) and the Greater Bennington County Area will be participating in a national amateur radio exercise from 2 p.m. on Saturday until 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 28 and 29. The event is ARRL Field Day (www.arrl.org/field-day), an annual amateur radio activity organized since 1933 by ARRL, The National Association for Amateur Radio in the United States. [Full story]

NH Governor Kelly Ayotte Issues Proclamation Designating June as “Amateur Radio Month”

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For further information, contact NH ARRL Section Public Information Coordinator Skip Camejo
 
In public recognition of the valuable service that amateur radio operators provide to their communities at no cost, Governor Kelly Ayotte issued a formal proclamation designating June as “Amateur Radio Month” in New Hampshire. 
 
Amateur radio operators, also known as ham radio operators, offer their services to their communities in time of emergency to assist local, state and federal public safety agencies in providing auxiliary communication capabilities to allow regular public safety communication systems to concentrate on the emergency.  In particular, NH-ARES (New Hampshire Amateur Radio Emergency Service) has groups and members situated throughout the state to provide assistance as needed.  ARES is an emergency communication organization sponsored by the ARRL (American Radio Relay League), the leading non-governmental amateur radio organization in the United States.  In addition to ARES, the ARRL sponsors the NTS (National Traffic System) which routinely transmits message traffic by radiogram, similar to telegrams, throughout the country.  In the event of an emergency the NTS would be available to provide long distance communication capabilities to responding agencies as well as health and welfare messages to or from the disaster area to family members outside the area when conventional communication systems are not functioning.  To practice their radio communication skills, amateur radio operators participate in an annual event called Field Day.  This event is held every June and involves operators setting up their radios in sometimes remote locations to practice and train for emergency communication.  Many local amateur radio clubs set up public demonstrations and encourage members of the public to try their hand at amateur radio.  This year Field Day will be held the weekend of June 28-29, 2025.
 
This year NH-ARES entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the New Hampshire Department of Safety, Division of Emergency Services and Communications that designates NH-ARES as the sole organization providing amateur radio communications support to the state. 
As witnessed in weather disasters such as Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina, hurricanes in Florida and tornadoes throughout the midwest, cellular systems and public safety radio systems can become inoperable due to infrastructure damage. The use of amateur radio provides an auxiliary communication system utilizing trained and federally licensed radio operators to support the missions of the state’s public safety agencies.  In addition to emergency communication capabilities, amateur radio operators routinely assist their communities by providing communication services at events such as marathons, bicycle races, canoe races and other similar events. These public service radio communication assignments help train radio operators and fine tune the abilities of NH-ARES members to adapt to changing radio and weather conditions.

 
 
NH Amateur Radio Proclamation 2025

“Message From A Freshly Licensed Ham”

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Franklin Land Trust News & Views banner

 

From Franklin (County, MA) Land Trust E-News & Views, May 15, 2025:

“For many years, we have relied on the generous support of volunteer amateur radio operators (Hams) during D2R2. These Hams, mostly members of the Franklin County Amateur Radio Club (FCARC), provide communication support between D2R2’s home base in Deerfield and checkpoints scattered across the Hilltowns where there is little to no cell service. Last year, when I began planning a new event that would also require support from FCARC (Edge Hill Trail Race), the club’s membership gently hinted that it would be helpful if a few of FLT’s staff and volunteer community became Hams themselves. Flash forward to spring of this year and two of our staff members, including Alex Wahlstrom (callsign KC1WTM) and me (callsign KC1WTW), and five other community members have received FCC-license to operate amateur radio equipment.

“For four Mondays in April, we transformed our conference room into a classroom. A group of interested community members came to learn the material required to get on the air from FCARC members Bob, Chris, and Lad, including understanding the physics of radio waves, electrical components, the pros and cons of different radio frequencies, basic safety, and government regulations. This culminated in a Technician exam which took place earlier this week.

“Now that I’ve passed the test, I am looking forward to learning how to use a radio to communicate with people nearby and thousands of miles away, talk to astronauts on the International Space Station, and even bounce radio signals off the moon. Most of all, though, I’m excited to be able to serve the needs of my community. In the rural Hilltowns where cell service is limited, Ham radio is an important skill in emergencies and can serve as a communication tool in most situations where cell phones are not an option for those who wish to learn the skill.

“Thank you to the Franklin County Amateur Radio Club, the Shelburne Cultural Council, and the Laurel Volunteer Examination Team for help making this event possible.

“I’ll see you on the radio!”

Liam Cregan,
Land Conservation Specialist

[Note: congrats to Liam and six other new hams thanks to Franklin County ARC’s efforts!]

Granite State ARA Demonstrates Amateur Radio to LDS Youth Group

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Photo of GSARA members demoing ham radio to LDS youth groupThe Granite State Amateur Radio Association had the pleasure of visiting the LDS Youth Group in Peterborough, NH, for a lively and engaging demonstration of ham radio. Kim (KC1VYM), Tim (KC1QDK), Eric (N1JUR), and Ralph (KC1TLY) spent the day sharing their passion for radio technology with over 20 enthusiastic teens and parents—what a fantastic experience!

[Full story]