Practicing emergency preparedness communications, while not connected to the power grid, ACS teams will use Green power, replacing gasoline / diesel powered electric generators that produce harmful hydrocarbon gas emissions  The “Seattle ACS”, a team of unpaid volunteer communication professionals trained to provide emergency back up communications and administrative support to Seattle city government agencies will be holding public demonstrations of the groups emergency communications abilities at Seattle South Community College during the contest.

Using only emergency power supplies, amateur radio operators will construct emergency stations in parks, shopping malls, schools and back yards around the country for ARRL Field Day.  Their slogan, “When all else fails…” is more that just words as they prove they can send messages in many forms without the use of phone systems, internet or any other infrastructure that can be compromised in a crisis.  More than 30,000 amateur radio operators across the country participated in last year’s event.

Seattle ACS members operating amateur radio station “W7ACS” will compete for 24 hours, starting at 11AM Saturday morning, participating in the National Amateur Radio Relay League sponsored experience that challenges radio operators to practice setting up field stations and sending radio message communications nation wide. The ACS radio operations will be staged in a field on the south east sector of SSCC campus and will utilize both digital and voice communications on amateur radio frequencies.

The ARRL, the National Association for Amateur Radio, describes Field Day as the largest on-the-air operating event that gives both experienced operators and newcomers a chance to share ideas and new experiences in Amateur Radio.  It is an operating event designed to test emergency preparedness in less that optimal conditions.  Each year, tens of thousands of amateurs and guests join in the excitement and camaraderie.

The event at the South Seattle Community College is open to the public and the ACS group will establish a “Get On The Air” station that will allow anyone a chance, even children, to try their hand at using amateur radio to participate in the activities according to Mark Sheppard, N7LYE, Seattle ASC Director.  Sheppard said, “We intend to promote our green energy program in conjunction with the Community College and the City of Seattle, our themes for the event will be preparedness, green-energy and fellowship.”