The following article was included in the May NTS Letter:
Field Day is said to be the highlight of the year for amateur radio operators. It is held annually on the fourth weekend in June, which this year falls on June 28 and 29. There is something for almost any amateur radio operator. It is perhaps foremost an exercise in emergency preparedness, one of the primary reasons for the existence of the Amateur Radio Service. It takes great skill to be able, within a short period of time, to set up multiple stations capable of various modes, and operate without public infrastructure. While not an official contest, it offers the contester the thrill of making multiple contacts, scoring many points for their club or group. For those who enjoy outdoor activities such as POTA and SOTA, it is an opportunity to show off their skills in setting up portable stations. For many, this is also a big social event, offering cookouts and early morning breakfasts.
An important factor, however, may be overlooked, and that is the opportunity to demonstrate the messaging service capabilities of the National Traffic System, especially in an emergency. NTS operators, as all amateurs, can show off this capability first by publicizing the event, encouraging people to come and see hams in action. Welcome them and offer information about amateur radio and how it is still very active in today’s world of technology. A second way is to demonstrate our messaging services that can be available in a disaster or situation when public infrastructure is unavailable. ARRL encourages this by offering extra points for transmitting formal written messages in the form of radiograms from any Field Day site. One hundred points can be counted for a radiogram to the Section Manager or Section Emergency Coordinator and another 100 points for 10 radiograms to friends and families, all sent over radio frequencies from the Field Day site. NTS traffic handlers have a big part in this activity. Beginning now, when clubs and groups are making their Field Day plans, traffic handlers can reach out to their clubs, encouraging them to take advantage of this activity, not only to gain points but also to help spread the word about amateur radio to others in their communities and beyond. Offer to help on Field Day, either from the site or from home relaying to traffic nets, or teach club members how to format radiograms, find traffic nets or digital outlets, and how to send these radiograms over the air.