Chief Shabbona County Park
Harding, IL
June 25-26 , 2011
The public is invited to join the Starved Rock Radio Club during an
emergency communication exercise June 25-26 , 2011 at Chief Shabbona County Park.
The exercise is designed to test operators' abilities to set up and operate
portable stations under emergency conditions such as the loss of
electricity. "We want the community to know that in the event of an
emergency, we will be ready to assist in any way we can, says SRRC’s Joe
Tokarz. "While people often think that cell phones or other communications
technologies have replaced ham radio, we can still provide an important
communications service that others can't."
The exercise is a serious test of skill, but it is also a contest for fun
and the largest "on-air" operating event each year. During the 24 hour
exercise starting Saturday at 1 pm, radio operators contact as many other
stations as possible using voice, computers, television, satellites and
Morse code. More than 30,000 operators across the US and Canada participated
in last year's event.
"We hope that anyone who is interested in seeing what Amateur Radio is all
about will come out. Amateur Radio exams will begin at 10 am and the
exercise starts at 1 pm," says Joe Tokarz.
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Who: The public and Licensed Amateur Radio Operators
What: Amateur Radio Exams and Emergency communications exercise to set up
and operate field radio stations to contact other hams throughout the US and
Canada. Objective is to see who can make the highest number of contacts
during the 24 hour period.
Where: Chief Shabbona County Park: take IL 23 North to N 42nd Road (about 12
miles North of I-80). Turn left (West) on N 42nd Rd and in about 2 miles
you'll turn left to the Park.
When: Exams start 10 am on Saturday and the exercise runs from 1 pm Saturday
June 25 to 1 pm June 26, 2011.
Why: Sharpen emergency communication skills under primitive conditions, with
generator and battery-powered equipment and portable antennas.
See all Amateur Radio communication modes in action, including voice, code,
digital, television and satellite.