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In Westwood, a 24-hour contest is underway, as ham radio operators from the Boston Amateur Radio Club gather at Hale Education's Andrew Cucchiara Learning Center for an operating contest from Saturday, June 28th to Sunday, June 29th, as part of the club's annual Field Day.
Photo by Westwood Minute/Darlene Wong Cancell. Members of the Boston Amateur Radio Club display the proclamation by Governor Martha Healey, announcing that this year, June 28 and June 29 are Amateur Radio Field Days in Massachusetts.Field Day participants attempt to amass points for their group by setting up temporary, mobile stations from which they attempt to make as many contacts as possible using an off-grid power source. It's an opportunity for them to practice their technical skills, which could be used as a vital communications link in emergencies and disasters, or to aid communication in public events such as parades and road races. The Boston Amateur Radio Club has set up its station at Hale.
Photo by Westwood Minute/Darlene Wong Cancell. Amateur radio operators gather to listen to audio transmissions from distant stations.Club members arrived on Friday from Andover, Belmont, Cambridge, Hingham, and other locations to both prepare for the competition as well as open up their hobby to observation and questions from the visiting public.
They erected a community of overnight tents, set up electronic and computer communication equipment, and at least one morse code transmitter. They erected mobile antennae to connect to satellites. One antenna was large enough to warrant having its wires attached to the upper limbs of surrounding, tall trees. Another antenna was small enough to be attached to a rod or stand, at about the height of an average adult.
Photo by Westwood Minute/Darlene Wong Cancell. A ham radio operator communicates using a morse code transmitter.While the ham radio operators worked away at sending and receiving signals on Saturday night, a different type of communication could also be observed elsewhere in Westwood, and likely at Hale as well. . . . fireflies have returned.
The small, flashing lights of the flying beetles can be observed at the edge of taller vegetation, often in dark and damp areas that are undisturbed. As they signal to find a mate, their small, quick lights can be seen.
There's one more day this weekend to see the ham operators in action. The public is invited to pay them a visit at Hale on Sunday, June 29th, between 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Image via Canva. Fireflies are gathered in and around an open jar.If you're lucky, you can also catch a firefly light show, likely from now through around mid-July. Each time their blinking glow is seen on a summer night is like a little bit of magic. Commonly dispensed advice to attract fireflies to your own yard includes the tip to keep it dark. Allow one or more spots for grass to grow long and undisturbed. Avoid use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.
