BIG FLATS, N.Y. (WENY) -- Amateur Radio Field Day takes place the last full weekend of June across the country.  Locally, its an opportunity to practice radio communications in the event of an emergency with the HAM operators from the Amateur Radio Association of the Southern Tier.

"We set up and we have five to seven transmitters and we talk all over the United States and the world, just for a very brief contact and just to show that we can make contacts from wherever," said Barry Gabriel, the assistant emergency coordinator with the Amateur Radio Association of the Southern Tier.

From 2 p.m. Saturday until 2 p.m. Sunday HAMS operators were able to contact other radio operators in 42 different states.  Places around the country have experienced all types of severe weather this year.  When that happens and communications go down, that's where HAM radio comes in.

"We're always ready because we have what we call go kits where if something happens, we can grab our go kit, which usually we've got radios, batteries, wires, antennas and so forth, and then we can deploy to a school or a gymnasium or a police station, fire station and provide communications where it's needed around the county," said Elliott Blauvelt, the emergency coordinator for Chemung County.

Skill, technology, and public service is the name of the game in HAM Radio Field Day.  People from around the area came to the 24 hour demonstration.

"We get down and set up, get kids involved, showing them how to use a radio, get a chance to talk to somebody someplace else," added Gabriel.

The Amateur Radio Association of the Southern Tier does accept new members.  They say anyone is welcome to give it a shot and get HAM certified.