Horseshoe Amateur Radio Club takes part in annual Field Day

BLAIR COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ)– Members of the Horseshoe Amateur Radio Club are taking part in their annual Field Day this weekend. Members work through an emergency communications drill, experiment with equipment and more.

“Other groups look at it as radio sport,” Western PA Section Manager of the National Association of Amateur Radio Joe Shupienis said.”A contest to see how many stations they can work this year and if they can take the award for their section, like Western PA.”

Groups and hobbyists across the country join in on the activities too. Shupienis says that everyone is welcome to the event and that you don’t have to have any prior experience to participate.

“Many people do stop in,” Shupienis said. “Everybody’s welcome, it’s a family activity. And just if you want to see something unique this is something unique.”

By operating between frequencies between your typical AM and FM radio, they’re able to communicate with anyone almost anywhere in the world with zero infrastructure and little equipment. President of the Horseshoe Amateur Radio Club Kevin Lear says it’s an affordable hobby to take up.

“You could use anything from a walkie-talkie, up to working satellites,” Lear said. “Sometimes they even work with the international space station.”