Second Annual "Take Your Handheld to Work Day" Set for June 20


NEWINGTON, CT, Jun 14, 2006--The ARRL appears to have struck a chord
in 2005 when it initiated "Take Your Handheld to Work Day." Radio
amateurs who participated last year report they were able to
introduce many new people to Amateur Radio. Whether any of those
co-workers became hams themselves as a result isn't known, but this
simple activity offers a great opportunity to demonstrate and
describe Amateur Radio to others and to talk up its benefits. So, the
League is doing it again this year.

"On Tuesday, June 20, we encourage every ham radio operator across
the country who owns a handheld transceiver to take their little
radios to work if they can," says ARRL Media and Public Relations
Manager Allen Pitts, W1AGP. "By wearing it on their belt, setting it
on a desk or just making your radio visible, the goal is to have
co-workers ask, 'What's that?' In this way, the hams will be able to
share about the fun they have with Amateur Radio."

Pitts encourages hams not only to show the capabilities of their
handheld radios, but to invite co-workers to actually give them a try
-- under the licensee's supervision, of course -- as the Amateur
Radio rules allow.

"This is a great way to begin and also invite your friends and
co-workers to come and see a full station in field operation the next
weekend during ARRL Field Day 2006 on June 24-25," Pitts says.

Accessorize your office Tuesday, June 20, and show off Amateur Radio
to your co-workers.

Although Amateur Radio is mainly fun, it is called a radio service
because it also has a serious side. The FCC supports the Amateur
Radio Service because of its value in providing emergency
communication, contributing "to the advancement of the radio art,"
expanding the pool of "trained operators, technicians and electronics
experts," and to enhance international goodwill.

"This philosophy has paid off," Pitts notes. "Countless lives have
been saved where skilled hobbyists act as emergency communicators to
render aid, whether it's during a tsunami in India or a hurricane
right here in the US."

A heads up: On June 20 between noon and 1 PM in your local time zone,
be on the lookout for surprise messages from ARRL. By using modern
digital radio technology, Echolink and a few other tricks, random
participants from locations around the country might be spotted on
the air by W1AW and win a prize.

"Take Your Handheld to Work Day" is a chance to have a lot of fun,
recruit new hams, invite people to Field Day, get publicity and show
off Amateur Radio," Pitts points out. "Many people would like to have
the capabilities of ham radio in a crisis, but don't know where to
start. The best recruiter is another ham. I hope you have fun and
make the most of it!"


-------------------------------------------------------
Amateur Radio Operator
Duane Whittingham - N9SSN
Skywarn, ARES,RACES, EMA & ESDA
Red Cross Volunteer and SATERN



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