Amateur, or HAM, radio operators have been around for more than a century. And thousands still exist today, playing an important role during emergencies. We’ll meet a local group continuing a nearly century-old tradition, a radio relay spanning the U.S. and Canada. Jojo Melendres is the Hospital Amateur Radio Team (HART) Net Coordinator, and Jay Ballinger is the Emergency Coordinator for the Sacramento Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES). They discuss ARRL Field Day, the most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada. On June 24-25 more than 35,000 radio amateurs gather to operate from remote locations.
