ELIDA, OH (WLIO) - Amateur radio enthusiasts around the world gathered around their radios on Friday and Saturday to talk to each other and teach others about radio communications.
The Northwest Ohio Amateur Radio Club set up a temporary radio station for the International Amateur Radio Field Day. Members of the public were welcome to come learn what it takes to operate a ham radio and see several Different types of custom stations, like one built into the cab of a semi-truck, and another operated by solar power.
Part of the appeal is the fun of being able to talk to people anywhere on the globe, but amateur radio can also be used to assist others in an emergency. If traditional communication methods, like cell phones and computers, were inaccessible in a disaster, it's important that communities have ham radio experts they can rely on.
"If there was a disaster, if there was a tornado, and all these things fell apart, there's still ways to communicate. When hurricanes hit the little islands out in the Pacific, or the Atlantic, that's what we're there for, to help communicate what's going on in those areas," explained the president of the Northwest Ohio Amateur Radio Club, Paul Harris.
If you are interested in learning more about amateur radio, you can visit the club's website.
