Blake Ellis/The Independent

Ham radio enthusiasts tuned into locations throughout North America and the world, connecting with Texas, Argentina, the Caribbean and the Netherlands all from Enniskillen Township.

The Lambton County Radio Club held its annual field day on Saturday and Sunday, for a 24 hour period at Krall Park in Enniskillen Township. 

Field day demonstrates ham radio’s ability to work reliably under any conditions from almost any location and create an independent communications network. Over 45,000 people from locations throughout North America participated in field day in 2024. 

Eighty-seven-old Noel McLaren of Thedford has been a ham radio enthusiast for the past 47 years, first getting his license in 1978.

As a 13 year old boy, he found a switch on the back of a radio, which allowed him to connect with a short wave station and since then he was hooked. 

When the citizen band (CB) radio craze hit, he took classes to learn more and he managed to get his ham radio license in three countries, Canada, the United States and Australia. 

When asked how long he has been interested in ham radios, Lee Goldberg of Sarnia said “every since I could walk.” He remembers seeing an AC/DC radio when he was young and watching the tubes light up in the back. He went on to university to study electronic engineering work in that field professionally, before getting a ham radio license in 1990 and returning to his first love as a hobby. 

There are 150 to 200 ham radio operators within Lambton County and Sarnia with the club having 35 members said Lambton County Radio Club President Charles Chivers. 

The club has been able to attract a dozen new members in recent years. 

While the demographic for ham radio operators tend to be older men, the club has been able to attract a couple of female members. 

In an event of an emergency such a weather event where the power is knocked out, ham radio operators can jump into action and provide communications. It has been years since this has happened in Lambton County, Chivers said.

He is looking to rebuild the infrastructure to allow for the radio club to be more effective. 

He is searching out where antennas had been placed, knowing that an antenna was once at Lambton College, but had been taken down during renovations. 

During field day points are obtained by making voice contacts throughout North America and the world, as well as the use of Morse code. 

Field day also acts as an open house for the Lambton County Radio Club as members of the public were able to visit Krall Park on Saturday afternoon.