News Archive - EGARA Logs Over 700 Contacts During Field Day

Members of the East Greenbush Amateur Radio Association logged 719 contacts during its participation in the nationwide Field Day exercise held during the weekend of June 24-25. The club operated two stations during the 24 hours that Field Day was underway, with more than two dozen members participating.

The event, sponsored by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), first began in 1933 as a way for amateur operators to demonstrate their communication skills under simulated emergency conditions. The two EGARA stations in operation during the event made contacts all across the United States, as well as Puerto Rico and Canada. The event, which was held at the East Greenbush Masonic Temple, was open to the public and visitors were given a demonstration of the club's stations in operation, as well as general information about amateur radio.

During Field Day activities, the EGARA team was visited by Rensselaer County Sheriff Patrick Russo and by Sgt Ernest Tubbs and Officer Edward Witko of the East Greenbush Police Department. Both agencies have worked with EGARA in the past during community events and the club is available to assist them as a resource during emergencies.

In addition, both WNYT-TV, Channel 13 and WRGB-TV, Channel 6, covered the club's Field Day operations on their evening newscasts.