The Newnan Regional Amateur Radio Club (NRARC) is participating in a national emergency preparedness exercise designed specifically for winter weather.
The exercise, Winter Field Day, hosted by the Winter Field Day Association, has fortuitous timing as Georgians battle snow and winter storm warnings issued by the National Weather Service twice so far in January 2025. The exercise will run from 11 a.m. EST on Saturday, 25 January continuously through 4:59 p.m. on Sunday, 26 January 2025 for a full 30 hours.

The goal of the exercise is for amateur radio operators, or “hams”, to make contact under less-than-ideal conditions, and continue to be able to operate the radio and pass messages back and forth. Depending on atmospheric conditions, hams may typically make contact with stations as far away as the other side of the country, or on other continents with no infrastructure used between stations.

Visitors are encouraged to attend at any time during the operation period to learn more about amateur radio, its capabilities, and to try to make a contact themselves at one of the radios set up for the exercise. The event is free to attend.

From Walter Jones, Jr, Field Day Committee Chair: “This event is a fun exercise for the club, and we have seen some renewed and vivacious energy surrounding the event this year. As the Newnan Regional Amateur Radio Club is a public service organization, we are committed to supporting local organizations and the Coweta County government when called upon during emergencies. This event gives us the perfect chance to test our capabilities and ensure that we are ready to support our partners when we are called upon. Plus, it’s always fun to see friends in person, and talk to new friends across the country. Maybe we can meet a few people this year that are interested in helping us to further that goal.”

For more information about the event, visit their website at https://winterfieldday.org/

For more information about the NRARC, visit the website at https://nrarc.org/

What: Winter Field Day exercise
When: 25- 26 January 2025
What time: 11 a.m. 25 January operating continuously through 4:59 p.m. 26 January 2025
Where: Madras Community Center’s big room, 2355 US-29, Newnan, GA 30263