Mabie resident Crystal Bodkin makes contacts on a ham radio Saturday during Field Day at Camp Kidd in Parsons. The local event was presented by the Mountain State Transmitters and the Tucker County ARRL Amateur Radio Groups.
By Beth Christian Broschart
The Parsons Advocate
PARSONS – The local amateur radio bands were a hot spot to be this weekend as local amateur radio enthusiasts joined ham radio operators across the U.S. in celebrating Field Day. At Camp Kidd in Parsons 28 ham radio operators and their families gathered to showcase the hobby and make contacts with other hams from all over.
The Parsons event was sponsored by the Mountain State Transmitters and the Tucker County ARRL Amateur Radio Groups and they set up operations Friday evening and spent Saturday and Sunday making contacts and learning about the many different facets of the amateur radio hobby.
Mountain State Transmitters Amateur Radio Group President Mark Sweitzer said the day featured ham radio programs from Packet Radio up to high frequency radio.
“We run a couple of stations here at the camp today,” Sweitzer said. “We have a few people that have come out from many of the surrounding counties to learn and transmit with us. Some of these folks have come from as far away as two hours to work with us.”
Sweitzer said the group would continue to work the stations making contacts for 24 hours.
“We have had a lot of new operators this year that are trying out some new things,” Sweitzer said. “This is the first Field Day for a lot of folks and others have been coming for years. There is a lot of good information here today and people have learned a lot about amateur radio who stopped by to visit our Field Day.”
Sweitzer said there were 28 people attending the event and said they ranged in ages from 2 to 85 – both men and women.
“We try to do this every year and Tucker County has been gracious enough to allow us to use the site here at Camp Kidd,” Sweitzer said. “It’s a really nice facility and we would like to offer special thanks to them as well.”
Sweitzer said during the weekend event, Tucker County Commissioners Lowell Moore and Patrick Darlington stopped by to welcome those setting up and those attending Field Day.
During the day, Tom DiBacco demonstrated Arduino for satellite tracking.
“What it does, when you get the satellite up on the computer, the Arduino display will tell the elevation to help locate where to point the antennae,” DiBacco said. “It is something not too many hams are up on.”
DiBacco said using satellites is what keeps him going on ham radio.
“I have made more than 300 contacts by satellite,” he said. “I have quite a set up out at the house. I don’t use the equipment out in the field but maybe two or three times per year.”
He said he brings his equipment to Field Day to expose the other amateur radio operators to making contacts using satellite.
“I try to see if I can generate some interest,” DiBacco said. “There are maybe one or two other amateur radio operators in the state that use satellite. It’s not a real popular facet of ham radio. But ham radio has many modes of transmitting and receiving – there is CW, high frequency, 2 meters and satellite – that is what makes the hobby so interesting. You can keep advancing and go in different directions.”
Sweitzer said amateur radio operators and those wishing to learn more about the hobby are welcome to stop by one of their meetings.
