CARMEL – This past weekend was hectic for Putnam County ham radio operators who participated in the National Field Day for Amateur Radio enthusiasts at the Putnam County Park.
For 24 hours members of PEARL (Putnam Emergency and Amateur Repeater League) joined their colleagues around the globe by contacting others with a display of their emergency communications capabilities.
PEARL was founded in 1978 by a group of licensed amateur radio operators to provide emergency communications for the Putnam Office of Emergency Management.
Diana Ahrens, chairwoman of the Putnam Emergency and Amateur Repeater League, noted in the past year, “Ham radio people made headlines with their work covering wildfires, floods, storms, tornadoes and other crises by providing communications for a variety of governmental and civic organizations.
Hams also provided supplemental communication when normal systems were rendered inoperable or overloaded. Like most communities, Putnam doesn’t expect a major crisis, but such situations occur and by losing communications, an emergency can turn into a major disaster within minutes.”
Ahrens said her group’s goals were to “encourage and support public service while educating and training future amateurs; establishing a constant blanket coverage for commuters while enjoying friendship and life.”
Additional information is available by calling 845-520- 6354 or online.
