Amateur radio operators can chat with folks halfway across the world, help with disaster relief from hundreds of miles away and set up a temporary radio station just about anywhere.
Members of the Callaway Amateur Radio League will be doing the latter from 1 p.m. Saturday to 1 p.m. Sunday at the Missouri Fire Fighter Memorial in Kingdom City.
"We'll be using radio waves to talk with people across the United States and perhaps elsewhere," club member David Mueller said. "We'll be setting up a radio station where there had not been one on Saturday morning, and Sunday it'll be taken down."
Callaway Emergency Communications, Inc. will also participate in the National Amateur Radio Field Day event.
Mueller explained the exercise is a test for emergency preparedness.
"We're all trying to be trained so we can help out if need be," Mueller said. "Back when Hurricane Katrina took place, a couple of our members made contacts for people who were affected."
The league will gain points based on their use of skills and level of emergency preparedness.
According to Mueller, amateur radio sets can be run from a car battery or generator and aren't impacted by overloaded cellphone towers. Using a battery or generator gets the team points, as do things like contacting emergency responders and reaching far-off contacts.
"(When the power is down), I can still make contacts locally or across the United States," Mueller said. "There's a saying: 'When all else fails, amateur radio.' That's proven itself in times like hurricanes and disasters like (the tornado in) Joplin."
In the past, radio league members have made contact with people in Sardinia and Australia and even a military pilot who had a portable radio in his plane, he added.
"It's supposed to be fun but also educational," said radio league member Dick Thompson over the radio. "About 30,000 operators will participate from across the U.S. and Canada."
He'll be teaching a class on antenna construction and safety.
Mueller added non-radio league members are also welcome to come and observe the exercise.
"We'd be glad to have people stop and see what we're doing, and if they're interested in seeing about becoming involved," he said.
Mueller claims there are about 100 licensed amateur radio operators (also known as ham radio operators) in the county, about 25 of whom are part of the league.
"We've had a number of young adults get their license in recent years, in their 20s and 30s," he said.
His own son's interest in the hobby got Mueller involved.
"I guess I had an interest going back through the years but never really pursued it to the extent of getting a license," he said. "I pursued it and got a license about 14 years ago and have been involved ever since."
For more information, contact Mueller at 573-826-0005.