Ham radio a path to public service (Maine)

A percentage of people seem to be hard-wired for or drawn to community service, leadership roles and events in which they can serve their neighbors and fellow citizens. The amateur ham radio service offers a path to many rewarding public service opportunities. 

Ham radio operators volunteer with county or local programs like the Amateur Radio Emergency Service, an American Radio Relay League program. These teams often serve the county emergency management agencies in Maine, according to Derrick Ouellette, deputy director of the Aroostook County Emergency Management Agency.

Members of the Aroostook ARES team recently participated in the annual field day exercise, held every year in June when ham operators all over the U.S. and Canada join for excercises simulating disaster conditions.

They practice emergency communications with portable radios and antennas and make as many contacts as possible in a fun “contest-style,” off-grid event. 

Read more – TheCounty: https://thecounty.me/2025/08/05/caribou/ham-radio-a-path-to-public-service/