On-air demonstrations, satellite communications and emergency preparedness activities are on tap for members of the  Phelps County Amateur Radio Technical Society as they gear up to celebrate Amateur Radio Week, June 18-26, 2005.

During Amateur Radio Week, enthusiasts will put on demonstrations, give talks to community groups and take part in other activities to raise awareness about Amateur Radio. The week culminates with the annual preparedness exercise called "Field Day," June 25 and 26. Field Day is sponsored by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the national association for Amateur Radio.

During Field Day, operators set up in local parks, at shopping malls, or even in their own backyards, and get on the air using generators or battery power. Field Day was designed to test operators' abilities to set up and operate portable stations under emergency conditions such as the loss of electricity. "We want the community to know that in the event of an emergency, we will be ready to assist in any way we can, says (your club spokesperson). "While people often think that cell phones or other communications technologies have replaced ham radio, we can still provide an important communications service that others can't."

Field Day is a serious test of skill, but it is also a contest for fun and the largest "on-air" operating event each year. During the weekend, radio operators try to contact as many other Field Day stations as possible. More than 30,000 Amateur Radio operators across the country and Canada participated in last year's event.

The Phelps County Amateur Radio Technical Society will hold Field Day in conjunction with the Howell County Amateur Radio club. "We hope that anyone who is interested in seeing what Amateur Radio is all about will come out for Field Day," .

Today there are more than 670,000 Amateur Radio operators in the United States and more than 2.5 million worldwide. To find out more about Amateur Radio or how you can get started, contact Rich KB0WD at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Information is also available from the American Radio Relay League, 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111 or by calling 1-800-32-NEW HAM. The URL for the ARRL's home page on the World Wide Web is www.arrl.org.