County Commissioners celebrate Amateur Radio Week leading to Field Day competition 

Press release from North Florida Amateur Radio Club

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Amateur radio does so many great things for youth and adults, all throughout the year and especially during disasters, that the Alachua County Commission proclaimed June 21-28 as Amateur Radio Week at their June 9 public meeting. Commissioner Anna Prizzia and Interim Fire Chief Jeff Taylor made the presentation to multiple local ham radio volunteers who volunteer at the direction of Emergency Manager Jen Grice.  

Amateur radio not only provides free emergency communications assistance during disasters, but also creates a wholesome hobby where youth can learn electronics and radio, and even construct their own private satellite-connection stations. These skills often spur youth toward lucrative STEM careers. They can even connect their own transmitter to a dozen or more amateur radio satellites. The local Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) team not only staffs all hurricane shelters, but also provides free training to those studying to pass the FCC license test. The Gainesville Amateur Radio Society (GARS) provides in-person FCC license testing every other month in Waldo.

Amateur Radio Week leads up to the largest annual emergency communications exercise of the nation, “Field Day.” No cell phones, no internet for our crew! Just four amateur radio stations simultaneously sending out radio signals over simple wire and aluminum tubing antennas that create tiny electrical force fields all over the nation. Sensitive receivers pick up responding signals of less than one billionth of a watt! Over 30,000 volunteers nationwide compete for more than 24 straight hours, making simulated emergency connections. Last year, our ARES group achieved a Florida First — we had the highest score of any team in the nation that is affiliated with their local county emergency service. No Florida team has ever before achieved that honor. 

This year, both the ARES group and the GARS team will be competing in the Field Day exercise on Saturday, June 27, and Sunday, June 28. It is a great, friendly annual rivalry! Visitors are welcome at both events. At either event, you can see and learn how radio transmitters and antennas really work, and even get yourself or your kids on the air! You can find hours and information for both teams at https://www.nf4rc.club/public-invited-to-our-field-day-2026/ for the ARES group in Jonesville and at https://gars.club/GARS flyer SFD 2026.pdf for the GARS team in Waldo. Drop in and enjoy!

The ARES team will be setting up on a 5-acre homestead and raising not only their disaster trailer 30-foot tower, but also homemade wire antennas, including a massive new one they have never tried before. Their new robotically-controlled satellite antenna will course across the sky, following amateur satellites 100+ miles above. That brings in voices and signals from other hams, relayed both by the International Space Station and other amateur satellites. The robotics includes a homemade circuit board using an Arduino Nano microcontroller. What a fantastic robotics project for high school students! The GARS group is manning the Waldo City Emergency Operations Center, upstairs in the building at the Waldo City Square. Traditionally, the Waldo team is a bit stronger at voice communications, while the ARES group excels with radio-texting and old-fashioned Morse Code at speeds of 25 words per minute and faster! It’s a great match-up between two strong teams!