Story and Photos by Lorin Schroeder
On June 25 the CO-WY Regional Emergency Communication Team (EMCOMM) participated in the 2016 ARRL Amateur Radio Field Day event. ARRL Field Day is the most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada. On the fourth weekend of June, more than 35,000 amateur radio operators gather with their clubs, groups or simply with friends to operate from remote locations. (http://www.arrl.org/field-day)
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| Jim Romines, works the radio at 2016 Field Day |
The CO-WY EMCOMM team partnered with the Village 7 Amateur Radio Club (V7ARC) and the Meteorological Research and Education Organization (MEREO) in Colorado Springs for this year’s Field Day. Saint Francis Medical Center generously allowed these groups to utilize a vacant field just east of the hospital at Woodmen and Powers in Colorado Springs. They were joined by amateur radio operators from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office using a mobile communications truck. Partners from the El Paso – Teller county 911 authority were on site with a trailer to teach the general public home fire safety.
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| Red Cross Emergency Communications trailer on site at ARRL Field Day 2016 |
During the 24-hour operational time CO-WY EMCOMM team members staffed the amateur radio in either phone (voice) or CW (Morse code) mode and contacted 38 U.S. states and one providence in Canada. The operators were faced with less than ideal radio operational conditions and had an abundance of opportunities to hone their skills. By participating in this year’s event, the CO-WY EMCOMM team was able to strengthen relationships with some of our local partners and share the Red Cross story with members of the public.
The CO-WY EMCOMM team mission is to support our American Red Cross Mission and relay routine and emergency messages by mobilizing the power of volunteers and serving with community partners. Not every EMCOMM team member needs to be a licensed amateur radio operator. If you are interested in joining the EMCOMM team, please contact Lorin Schroeder (Regional Lead – EMCOMM Team American Red Cross of Colorado and Wyoming) at lorin.schroeder@redcross.org.