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 Previous: Knight Distinguished Service Award Nominations Welcome |  Next: Amateur Radio Volunteers Ready in Western States as Fire Threat Continues |
NEWINGTON, CT, Jun 22, 2006--Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (FTE)
has announced it's adding Amateur Radio communication to its hurricane and emergency
preparedness plan. To give the initiative some visibility, FTE will host ARRL Field
Day sites at its Orlando headquarters (Turkey Lake Service Plaza, milepost 263) and at its Pompano Beach operations center (Pompano Service Plaza, milepost 65). Operations will commence at 2 PM on Saturday, June 24, and continue until 2 PM on Sunday, June 25. Originated in 1933, Field Day is first and foremost a test of
Amateur Radio's ability to get on the air from the field, simulating conditions
that could occur during a hurricane, tornado or other emergency.
 The WR4BS Field Day site will be in the parking area outside Florida's Turnpike Enterprise Headquarters, located at the Turkey Lake Service Plaza complex, milepost 263, Orlando. |
"When cell phones and other technologies fail, Amateur Radio operators step up to the plate. They have a long track record of getting the message through when phone systems, the internet or any other infrastructure is compromised," says FTE Deputy Executive Director Christopher Warren, KD4FAB. "We want to make sure that in the event of a hurricane, our recovery efforts are not hampered by a lack of communication."
Inspired by Hurricane Wilma Incident
According to ARRL Southern Florida Public Information Officer Marty Falk, KI4IQZ, the genesis of the turnpike Field Day initiative goes back to 2005, when Hurricane Wilma knocked out the turnpike's communication system. Turnpike employees who are also radio amateurs used their handhelds for backup communication. Falk says that impressed turnpike management enough to support this year's Field Day operation and add Amateur Radio to the turnpike's emergency preparedness plan.
Both FD sites are on the "Turnpike Mainline" -- 312 miles of roadway passing through 11 counties beginning near Florida City in Miami-Dade County and terminating near Wildwood in Sumter County. As part of their Field Day activities, the operators at the Turkey Lake and Pompano facilities will exchange real-time information about traffic conditions on the pike. The Florida Department of Transportation estimates that an average 1.8 million motorists use Florida's Turnpike every day.
Visitors Welcome
 An estimated average 1.8 million motorists use Florida's Turnpike every day. [FTE Photo] |
 The Turnpike Mainline is a 312-mile-long toll highway that runs from Miami-Dade County in the south to Sumter County in the north. [FTE Photo] |
 Some 33,000 operators were on the air for the 2005 running of ARRL Field Day. [Rick Lindquist, N1RL, Photo] |
Since both turnpike groups will set up their gear in parking areas near the service plazas, the public will be able to visit and be treated to a demonstration of Amateur Radio. Turnpike employees who are Amateur Radio operators will take part in the Field Day event along with local radio amateurs from south and central Florida.
The Boca Raton Amateur Radio Association (BRARA) and Florida Atlantic University Amateur Radio Club (K4FAU) and some members of the Hollywood Amateur Radio Club will team up at the Pompano service plaza, the site of one turnpike emergency operations center. BRARA President Sjaak Van Dam, W4RIS says the Pompano group will operate as N4EN in Class 2F, with one station on CW and the other on SSB. K4FAU will be the call sign of the "Get On The Air" (GOTA) station. N4EN also will operate via satellite and 6 meters.
The Bahia Shrine Amateur Radio Unit and licensed turnpike staffers will set up and operate from the Orlando service area site using the call sign WR4BS. It also will be a Class F operation.
Visiting radio amateurs and members of the general public are welcome at both sites.
Field Day each summer attracts hundreds of Amateur Radio clubs or groups and thousands of operators across the US to test their skills in setting up and operating in situations where electrical power is limited or unavailable.
Amateur Radio Month
Florida Gov Jeb Bush has proclaimed June as "Amateur Radio
Month" in the Sunshine State. Field Day remains the League's most popular
operating event. More than 33,000 Amateur Radio operators across the country
participated in last year's ARRL Field Day -- more people on the air than in all
of ARRL's other operating events combined. Last year's FD stations logged some
1.2 million QSOs.
| Previous: Knight Distinguished Service Award Nominations Welcome | Next: Amateur Radio Volunteers Ready in Western States as Fire Threat Continues |
