IRON MOUNTAIN – Ham radio operators from the Mich-A-Con Amateur Radio Club in the Iron Mountain area will participate in a national amateur radio exercise from 1 p.m. Saturday until 1 p.m. Sunday at Lake Antoine Park.

The American Radio Relay League Field Day is an annual amateur radio activity organized since 1933 by ARRL, the national association for amateur radio in the United States.

Hams from across North America ordinarily participate in Field Day by establishing temporary ham radio stations in public locations to demonstrate their skill and service. Their use of radio signals, which reach beyond borders, bring people together while providing essential communication in the service of communities.

Field Day highlights ham radio’s ability to work reliably under any conditions from almost any location and create an independent, wireless communications network.

Some hams from the United States and Canada will use the radio stations set up in their homes or take to their backyards and other locations to operate individually or with their families.

Many hams have portable radio communication capability that includes alternative energy sources such as generators, solar panels and batteries to power their equipment..

During Field Day 2020, more than 18,000 hams participated from thousands of locations across North America. According to ARRL, there are more than 750,000 amateur radio licensees in the U.S. and an estimated 3 million worldwide.

The Mich-A-Con Amateur Radio Club’s Field Day operations from Lake Antoine Park will be generator-powered, thanks to a donation of fuel by the LaFaive Oil Company.

The club invites the public to come and see ham radio’s capabilities.