P.E.I. ham-radio operators taking part in exercise

Island ham-radio operators will have a chance to take part in one of the largest annual events among amateur operators in North America this weekend. Members of the P.E.I. Amateur Radio Group will converge on the Canadian Red Cross building at 29 Paramount Dr. in Charlottetown for a free exercise.

The free event is open to the public starting at 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 24, and running for 24 hours until 3 p.m. Sunday.

Visitors can watch the exercise or even participate with expert guidance and broadcast to the world. For more than a century, amateur radio — often called ham radio — has allowed people from any walk of life to experiment with electronics and communications techniques. Ham radio has proven its value as an important public service and reliable resource to emergency managers and organizations worldwide, especially during major disasters when other forms of communication have been interrupted.

Since 1933, many of the estimated 40,000 registered ham operators across the continent have collaborated in the annual field day exercise each June, setting up temporary stations to demonstrate the science and skill of amateur radio.

The Red Cross collaborates with local amateur radio enthusiasts and offers space for group members to train, including periodic on-air meetings of the P.E.I. group and other operators worldwide.