Local ham radio operators from the Middle Peninsula Amateur Radio Club will participate in this weekend’s annual Field Day event at Abingdon Park in Hayes.

Field Day, sponsored by the American Radio Relay League, is one of the most popular on-the-air events held annually in the United States and Canada, a release said. Many amateur radio operators will be operating under simulated emergency conditions “off the grid,” using batteries, generators, solar cells and other forms of power to communicate with other stations in this exercise from midday Saturday through Sunday afternoon.

The ranks of ham radio have continued to grow over recent years now to more than 748,000 radio operators. Many have learned about ham radio by participating in Field Day events. 

MPARC members will be operating W4HZL, the club station, after 2 p.m. Saturday through Sunday afternoon at Abingdon Park on various modes to make as many contacts as possible, all the while having fun and meet...