Amateur Radio Field Day Held in Bend

Amateur radio is a hobby for most people interested in communication, and this weekend, several people in Bend participated in a national contest.

The Field Day, as it was called, was meant for amateur radio groups to try to make as many contacts as they could, as well as to exercise all of their equipment.

Each amateur radio club gets point for every contact made with other groups across the nation. The Oregon group that gets the most points get a trophy.

For those on the Deschutes County ARES team, this weekend’s contest was fun time.

“It’s just a lot of fun putting it all together and making it work,” said Andy Johnson, Deschutes County ARES coordinator.

The Deschutes County ARES or Amateur Radio Emergency Services group works with the county emergency manager and the sheriff’s department.

They are the last link of communication when all else fails.

The group puts an amateur radio operator in the shelter when the local Red Cross sets one up for evacuees from wildfires or other emergencies. It also has an amateur radio in all the hospitals, in case of an emergency.