EGARA Participates in Winter Field Day

For the first time, EGARA will participate in the annual Winter Field Day on Saturday and Sunday, January 28th and 29th. The club will operate out of the East Greenbush Masonic Lodge beginning at 2 pm Saturday and will operate on HF frequencies using its fan dipole antenna. Members of the public interested in learning about amateur Radio are welcome to stop in and get on the air. Licensed hams are also invited to visit and operate. The lodge is located at 710 Columbia Turnpike in East Greenbush, NY.

The event is scheduled to run for 24 hours, but may be revised (or canceled) depending on weather conditions.

“Adding Winter Field Day to our club’s schedule will give our members an opportunity to get our involved in a joint

activity and have some fun -- all while practicing our emergency communication skills,” said EGARA President Bryan

Jackson, W2RBJ. He said that the club will also provide food and refreshments for those who participate.

The event is sponsored by the Winter Field Day Association. It was created in part to allow Ham radio operators to gain

practice using portable emergency communications in winter environments as the potential for freezing temperatures,

snow, ice, and other hazards present unique operational concerns. WFD is formatted to help increase Hams level of

preparedness for disasters and to improve their operational skills in subpar conditions.

The first Winter field Day was held in January 2007 and the reaction from its participants soon made it into an annual

event.