Dean Growe, a state of Florida systems analyst who lives and works in Orlando, left, works alongside Osceola radio operators during an amateur radio field day event last weekend. The worldwide event challenges teams of amateur radio operators to make as many contacts with other teams as possible over a two-day period. By the end of the event, the coalition of Orange and Osceola County operators had made contact with 225 other teams, with the farthest contact being in Poland. Growe has participated in the last five field day events, and has been a licensed amateur radio operator since 1992.

At left, St. Cloud resident Joe Reilly, who helped coordinate this year’s event in its new location at the Osceola County Emergency Operations Center, stands behind some of the county’s mobile communications equipment. For more information about the event, visit http://osceolacountyares.org.

News-Gazette Photos/Andrew Sullivan