Submitted by SJC Department of Emergency Management

San Juan County’s amateur radio volunteers form a critical communications link between islands and to the mainland in the event of a major emergency or outage. The San Juan County Amateur Radio Society (www.sjcars.org) is hosting a training in Friday Harbor to prepare islanders to take the Amateur Technician test. This certification allows islanders to become a part of this crucial communications system.

The four-hour class is free but there is a $15 fee to the ARRL (American Radio Relay League) for taking the test.

To register or for details, contact Bryan Hoyer at bhhoyer@gmail.com.

Classes are on Tuesday, Feb. 20, from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. and Thursday, Feb. 22, from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. Classes are held at the Friday Harbor Labs commons. View a campus map at fhl.uw.edu/about/campus-map.

The test is on Saturday, Feb. 24, from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.