Ham radio operators make contacts all over the country

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Chuck Baker of Medina tries to make contact with a ham radio operator outside the area on Saturday. Baker is president of the Orleans County Amateur Radio Club, which has 42 members.

The club is joining ham operators from throughout the country in the annual Field Days event, where ham radio operators try to make contact with other operators. The Orleans club has won awards in the past for making contacts from operators in all 50 states.

The event started at 2 p.m. Saturday and continues until 4 p.m. today. Within the first five hours on Saturday, the Orleans operators had made 300 contacts.

The Orleans County Amateur Radio Club is holding the event at the Orleans County Emergency Management Office, 14064 West County House Rd., Albion. This photo shows ham radio operators, from left: Mike Moriarty of Medina, Ed Weider of Medina and Chuck Baker of Medina.

The Field Days are also a chance to introduce the public the amateur radio. The ham radio operators have a license to operate a ham radio from the FCC. Each operator has a call sign, and must take a test.

The Orleans club meets the second Mondays each month at 7:30 p.m. at Emergency Management Office. The club welcomes more members. It currently has several members outside Orleans in Niagara, Genesee and Monroe counties.

George Lloyd of Brockport, left, takes a turn at the radio. The operators will give visitors a chance to be on the air during Field Days.

The Orleans County Club is about 65 years old. For more information about the club, click here to see its web site.