Debby Heightens Significance of Amateur Radio

A weekend of “field day” activities for the Mississippi Coast Amateur Radio Association and the Jackson County Amateur Radio Association gained significance as tropical weather became a concern in the gulf.

During the Saturday and Sunday events, ham radio operators set up radio stations in unusual locations and made contact with others to practice their emergency communication capabilities. The development of Tropical Storm Debby in the Gulf helped point out the role ham operators can play in an emergency.

A spokesman for the groups, Harry Samuelson, told WLOX TV that ham operators provide emergency communications for many government and civic organizations in disasters.