Barbara Lawlor, Nederland.  Teenager Colin Adler was spending time in Nederland visiting his dad John Adler during the American Radio Field Day on June 23, 2018, and had a chance to put on some earphones and monitor the equipment for a few hours over the weekend. The purpose of the field day is to give amateur radio operators a chance to practice their ham skills for communication in the community. During his time with the technology, he contacted another amateur operator in Indiana. He was thrilled. He had seen the equipment in the house and watched his dad work with it, but now he understood firsthand what could be accomplished with the wireless radio.

Colin’s stepmother, Diane Stranitski, with the Indian Peaks Radio Club, says a group of people came together to start the club, renting a room in the west wing of the Nederland Community Center. Equipment was donated, and the club has been meeting once a month since, making sure they are prepared for emergencies.

Diane Stanitski says that the club went into action during the Cold Springs fire, helping the Nederland Police Department and the Nederland Fire Protection District. “It was the first time we had a chance to help out during a real emergency situation.”

On Saturday afternoon, Guru Randy Ralphs crossed his arms across his chest and scrutinized the screen.

Computer expert Matt Reynolds listened to earphones and wiggled some knobs.

Loiterer Jesse Holmes loitered, looking learned.

The three men were hunkered around their collection of computers all focused on the calls coming over the air waves, hoping to earn some points. They joined over 40,000 hams in the world participating in the American Radio Relay League Field Day last June 23 and 24, in the Nederland Community Center.

It was a radio family event that didn’t seem exciting on the surface, but if one knew what the bleeps and blips and screeches meant, there could be contact involved, and points for the operators.

The ham name was given when the first amateur wireless station was operated by members of the Harvard Radio Club, who took the first initials of their last names in 1908.

This year’s Field Day combined with the yearlong operating event, the ARRL International Grid Chase, which means trying to get as many working stations in as many grid squares as possible and uploading log data to ARRL’s Logbook of The World. Operators all over the world monitored their radios for 24 hours while simultaneously hosting a HAM radio open house.

Every year, temporary transmitting stations are open to the public to demonstrate HAM radio’s science, skill and service to the communities and to the nation. Public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach and technical skills have been demonstrated to the public since 1933.

Randy says he has been into wireless radio since 1992. “I have plenty of stuff for birds to land on at my house,” he says. Monitoring the action on the computer screen can result in contacts, some of which are multipliers, which gain recognition and scores.

The Ned team gained over 350 points over the weekend, with bonus points earned by using an emergency generator and by having the mayor visit.

Colin alone gathered 10 points for being under 18 years old.

Seven people from the community monitored the screens and worked on communication, and Diane considers that a successful event for a town of Nederland’s size.

“People seemed comfortable; many of them were here for their first time and many were not even aware that the club existed”. That was the purpose of the field day: to introduce the concept of having a radio with the ability to communicate without needing a cell phone or the internet, the ability to work under any conditions or locations.

“We hope Colin will become interested in learning more,” says Diane.

For more information contact Diane Stanitski at 717-816-0242 or www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio.