The Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club has announced the return of \u201cHamwaves of History,\u201d a live commemorative amateur radio wvent taking place from\u00a0March 17-19. This unique tribute honors the brave men and women who served at Buckingham Army Airfield during World War II, a site that was once the largest airfield in Florida.<\/p>\n
Members of the public are invited to join us at the\u00a0Lee County Mosquito Control District Homestead House\u00a0(the former site of the airfield) to witness history in action.<\/p>\n
The events, which are free and open to the public, will be held March 17 and 18, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and March 19, from 8 a.m.to 3 p.m., at the Homestead House 15140 Homestead Road, Lehigh Acres.<\/p>\n
A legacy of \u201cFlexible Gunnery\u201d<\/p>\n
Established in 1942, Buckingham Army Airfield served as a premier \u201cSchool of Aerial Gunnery.\u201d At its peak, the base was a massive military city of 16,000 personnel, dedicated to training \u201cflexible gunners.\u201d These specialists manned the movable machine guns on B-17 and B-24 bombers, providing a critical 360-degree defense known by the motto \u201cDeath from the Corners.\u201d<\/p>\n
During the event, FMARC operators will operate live from the historic grounds with an event call sign of XXXX where nearly 50,000 gunners graduated to defend allied bombers in the skies over Europe and the Pacific. Visitors can watch operators use modern and vintage radio technology to connect with other enthusiasts worldwide, sharing the story of Buckingham\u2019s pivotal role in achieving Allied air superiority.<\/p>\n
Attendees will have the opportunity to:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Watch live transmissions:\u00a0See how amateur radio connects people globally without the need for commercial infrastructure.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Explore local history:\u00a0Learn about the base\u2019s innovative training techniques, such as \u201cjeep tracks\u201d and the \u201cWall of Death\u201d skeet ranges.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Discover amateur radio:\u00a0Learn about the club\u2019s mission to provide public service during emergencies and foster international friendship.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis event is more than just a radio broadcast; it\u2019s a bridge between generations,\u201d said Daniel Eaton, public information officer for FMARC. \u201cWe are keeping the frequency open for the heroes of Buckingham Field\u201d.<\/p>\n
About Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club Inc.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Established in 1957, the Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club Inc. has been dedicated to fostering camaraderie among individuals with a shared passion for amateur radio. With a commitment to facilitating the exchange of information, promoting electronics and amateur radio knowledge, advocating for good radio operating practices, and advancing the art of Amateur Radio, the club strives to create a vibrant community. Additionally, the club actively sponsors and promotes various activities related to amateur radio, provides crucial public service during emergencies, and actively engages in other community initiatives.\u00a0 FMARC is affiliated with and sponsored by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), which is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, information, and resources. The club meets at 7 pm on the last Tuesday of the month. Call (941) 275-9145 to attend a meeting or visit\u00a0www.fmarc.net\u00a0to learn more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club has announced the return of \u201cHamwaves of History,\u201d a live commemorative amateur…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":184255,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[209,211,210],"class_list":["post-184254","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cape-coral","tag-cape-coral","tag-cape-coral-headlines","tag-cape-coral-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/184254","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=184254"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/184254\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/184255"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=184254"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=184254"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=184254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}