Fulton Sun

Before the text message, before cell phones allowed you to send text messages, there were ham radios.

And this weekend, the Callaway Amateur Radio League will showcase the medium in their annual “Field Day” event starting at 1 p.m. Saturday.

The group is changing locations this year, opting to set up shop behind the Callaway County Hospital as opposed to their usual spot in a field in Calwood.

“The area they’re in this year is a lot more accessible to the general public,” David Mueller, the CARL secretary/treasurer, said.

The Callaway chapter is just one of many dialing up their radios this weekend for a 24-hour period. They’ll sign off at 1 p.m. on Sunday closing out “Amateur Radio Week.” The idea is to test connection capabilities should an emergency — earthquake, tornado, etc. — arise.

There’s no history of radio availability behind the hospital, making it an optimal spot to host this year’s gathering.

“The whole idea is to establish an emergency station where there isn’t one to see if we can do it whenever we need to,” chapter president Dave Felts said.