As we enter the summer thunderstorm season, there's always the risk of power outages.
But, that won't matter if you have an amateur radio.
The benefits and capabilities of the service will be showcased this weekend.
Members of the Lambton County Radio Club (LCRC) will be participating in the national Amateur Radio Field Day exercise on Saturday and Sunday at Krall Park in Enniskillen Twp.
It's been a tradition in North America since 1933.
The public is welcome to come and check it out on Saturday from 12 p.m. until 4 p.m.
The club said amateur or "ham" radio allows people from all walks of life to experiment with electronics and communications techniques, as well as provide a free public service to their communities during a disaster, all without needing a cell phone or the Internet.
LCRC President Charles Chivers said it works reliably under any conditions from almost any location.
"It’s easy for anyone to pick up a smart phone, connect to the Internet and communicate, with no knowledge of how these devices actually function," said Chivers. "But if there’s an interruption of service or you’re out of range of a cell tower, you have no way to communicate. Ham radio functions completely independently of the Internet or cell phone infrastructure, yet can interface with tablets or smart phones, and can be set up almost anywhere in minutes. That’s the beauty of amateur radio during a communications outage."
Chivers said In today’s electronic do-it-yourself (DIY) environment, ham radio also remains one of the best ways for people to learn about electronics, physics, meteorology, and numerous other scientific disciplines.
"Currently, there are over 75,000 licensed Amateur Radio Operators in Canada, and more than 2.5 million worldwide," he said.
Over 45,000 people from thousands of locations in North America participated in Field Day in 2024.