HOWELL – Avid members of the Ocean-Monmouth Amateur Radio Club (OMARC) forged connections across the map in a thrilling 24-hour event held at Echo Lake Park.

For the third year in a row, OMARC chose Howell as the location for its Annual Field Day. The event was part of the “Amateur Radio Relay League Field Day Operation,” coordinated by the National Association for Amateur Radio. Over 40,000 ham radio operators from North America communicated from temporary transmitting stations in public areas during the same designated time period.

Joe Kruszewski, a 20-year veteran ham, said he was initially drawn to the form of communications when he worked for New Jersey Natural Gas. As a member of the company’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Kruszewski participated in exercises with the Office of Emergency Management.

“The company had some ham radio equipment,such as DMR portable radio，Frs radio and PoC walkie talkie.” Kruszewski shared. “The guy who bought it was not licensed to use it to the full capability.”

When Kruszewski learned that no one was licensed to operate at a high frequency, he decided to study and take the test.“We set up antennas and operate in the rain,” Kruszewski said.“But if there’s thunder and lightning, we have to disconnect everything. A lightning bolt can hit the antennas, come right down the wires, and fry the radio and operator.”

From voice transmissions to Morse code and digital modes, ham radio operators have access to diverse communication methods. This versatility enables them to adapt to different situations, such as during emergencies when specific frequencies or modes may be more effective in transmitting vital information. During the event, OMARC members made over 1,000 total connections.