For 24 hours, Iowa amateur radio clubs take to the air

CEDAR RAPIDS — Iowa’s amateur radio community is booming.

Home to a plethora of local organizations — including the second-largest per capita group of operators in the world — Iowa amateur radio clubs are coordinating to share their passions with the community. Amateur radio, often known as ham radio, is used both for fun and to aid in emergencies.

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The Linn County Amateur Radio Emergency Services, Cedar Valley Amateur Radio Club and Collins Amateur Radio Club are collaborating to host Field Day — a 24-hour event where attendees gather and attempt to make as many contacts as possible around the world. The Linn County Emergency Management Agency is partnering with the organizers to provide equipment.

The event is at the corner of Collins Road NE and C Ave. NE, outside of Collins Aerospace, and runs from 1 p.m. Saturday to 1 p.m. Sunday and is free to the public. The Cedar Valley Amateur Radio Club is hosting another event Aug. 5 at the Linn County Fairgrounds called Hamfest.

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Field Day is a national event that has been taking place since 1933, excluding a few years during World War II when radio silence was required.

Dave Watson, a member of the Cedar Valley Amateur Radio Club, said the event provides an opportunity to share the purpose of Ham Radio to a wider audience.

“When the electricity goes out, a lot of stuff doesn't work — but amateur radio still does. We're just here to help wherever we can,” Watson said. “It's all different facets of life for people that just enjoy providing community service to others.”

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Ham radio and public safety

The Linn County Emergency Management Agency values ham radio beyond its value as a hobby. Tom Ulrich, the emergency management specialist and operations officer at the agency, said ham radio is crucial during emergency situations.

“If public communications goes out, if the phones go out, if cellphones go out, this is where the amateur radio groups really step up,” Ulrich said.

While Ulrich said widespread use of ham radios may not have made a difference in the aftermath of the August 2020 derecho specifically, he said increasing communication during any natural disaster is beneficial.

In the Linn County Emergency Management Agency’s Derecho After-Action Report, the organization set goals to use amateur radios during these emergency situations.

“Anytime that we can better use those resources during a disaster is a plus for emergency management,” Ulrich said.

Community collaboration

Recently, the Linn County Emergency Management Agency purchased a trailer to create a designated space for ham radio operators working with the agency.

Ulrich said the agency has kept close ties with local amateur radio groups. The trailer is a collaborative project between the Linn County Emergency Management Agency and the Cedar Valley Amateur Radio Club

“We support them in a lot of ways because they support us,” Ulrich said. “They're considered one of our backup communications methods.”

Lelia Garner, the Linn County emergency coordinator through the Amateur Radio Emergency Services — which if affiliated with the Cedar Valley Amateur Radio Club — said this collaboration provides a front-facing component of ham radio to share with the public.

“It's a good focal point and it's visible to the community so they can recognize us and what we are doing,” Garner said.

She also said the Field Day event serves a similar purpose. Garner explained that while some of the technology associated with ham radios can be complicated, the 24-hour event can open a door for individuals who are interested but don’t know how to get started.

“It brings you know a lot of varied hands together into one place,” Garner said. “It has a little bit of something for everyone.”