HAM RADIO FIELD DAY
The Field Day Story
Where the spirit of “Amateur Radio Past” joins forces with the Next Generation of Innovations,
Interests and Individuals!!!
ARRL Field Day is the most popular on-the-air operating event in amateur radio. On the fourth full weekend in June, tens of thousands of amateur radio operators gather for a public demonstration of our service. Field Day is part educational event, part operating event, part public relations event – and ALL about FUN!
Amateur radio is about knowledge and growth. It is a hobby and service that truly offers “something for everyone.” Amateur Radio embraces both the old and new. While CW may no longer be a testing element, it is still a strong and favorite operating mode for many. Tens of thousands of operators are embracing digital technologies, from RTTY to newer digital modes like PSK31 and Olivia. Phone operation, probably the largest segment of the hobby, also has new frontiers to be explored with digitized voice, VOIP, and IRLP. And this is why Field Day – the largest annual on-the-air operating event – is so exciting. It gives all – the old timer and the newcomer, the brass-pounder and the computer assisted operator – the chance to share and teach the broad range of modes and technologies we find in our hobby.
Field Day is truly the time in which we bring amateur radio to Main Street USA. By setting up in parking lots, malls, Emergency Operations Centers, parks and even at home, amateur operators learn skills that will allow them to better serve their communities. Setting up in these public venues gives added public relations value – their friends and neighbors can see and experience the fun and public service capability that their “ham radio” neighbors bring to the community.
Field Day
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Field Day is an annual amateur radio exercise, widely sponsored by IARU regions and member organizations, encouraging emergency communications preparedness among amateur radio operators. In the United States, it is typically the largest single emergency preparedness exercise in the country, with over 30,000 operators participating each year.
OFF TO FIELD DAY ~ Circa 1930's
Since the first ARRL Field Day in 1933, radio amateurs throughout North America have practiced the rapid deployment of radio communications equipment in environments ranging from operations under tents in remote areas to operations inside Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs). Operations using emergency and alternative power sources are highly encouraged, since electricity and other public infrastructures are often among the first to fail during a natural disaster or severe weather.
To determine the effectiveness of the exercise and of each participant's operations, there is an integrated contesting component, and many clubs also engage in concurrent leisure activities (camping out, cookouts, etc.). Operations typically last a continuous twenty-four hours, requiring scheduled relief operators to keep stations on the air. Additional contest points are awarded for experimenting with unusual modes, making contacts via satellite, and involving youth in the activity.
Emergency Preparedness
Field Day stresses emergency preparedness. Frequently, entire radio clubs get involved and assemble a portable radio station in a field or park. Some might use quickly deployable portable antennas while other might erect more elaborate radio masts and towers supporting several antennas. Generators or solar power provide electricity to amateur radio transceivers, which may be located in tents, cars, recreational vehicles, or other portable shelters.
Contest Activity and Rules
The contest aspect of a Field Day operating event is to contact as many stations as possible in the given time period (twenty-four hours, during a weekend, if setup commences before the contest starts, or 27 hours if setup commences at contest start time) using the portable station. Each station will exchange information with other participating stations. For the North American Field Day, the exchange consists of the station call sign, the name of the ARRL-recognized section from which the station is operating, and a class designator which indicates the number of transmitters concurrently used at the station and information about the type of electrical power source being used.
The contest portion of Field Day has two purposes. The primary purpose is to demonstrate the group's ability to plan operations that can be effective for an entire twenty-four-hour period, including operator endurance and adequate numbers of operators for a shift operation. The secondary portion is to demonstrate the technical proficiency of the station that has been hastily constructed for the purpose; in theory a better station will be capable of emergency operations in more dire conditions. Such a station will also be capable of making more contacts during the contest portion of Field Day.
The rules governing this activity are published by the sponsor of the particular Field Day exercise.
Promotion of amateur radio
Field Day is frequently used to attract significant publicity for amateur radio, and some clubs simultaneously demonstrate technologies including single sideband voice, Morse code, digital modes (such as RTTY, PSK31, and Winlink, among others), and communication via amateur radio satellite.
FIELD DAY VIDEOS
International Field Day Events
IARU Region 1
The IARU Region 1 sponsors an Amateur Radio Field Day for Europe.
Britain
The Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) holds its Field Day with the Region 1 schedule, but has its own awards independent of the rest of the IARU Region:
- CW: First full weekend of June from Saturday 1500 UTC to Sunday 1500 UTC.
- SSB: First full weekend of September from Saturday 1300 UTC to Sunday 1300 UTC.
IARU Region 2
United States and Canada
The American Radio Relay League/Radio Amateurs of Canada Field Day is held annually the fourth full weekend in June (June 27-28 in 2009).
Sponsored by the ARRL and RAC (but organized primarily by the ARRL), Field Day is open to all Amateur Radio operators covered by these two IARU member organizations.
IARU Region 3
There is currently no organized Field Day for all of Region 3, although there is a proposal to create one similar to that of Region 1.
Taiwan
There is apparently a Biannual Field Day held in Taiwan, by the Chinese Taipei Amateur Radio League.
New Zealand
The New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters (NZART) holds an HF National Field Day contest each February, and a VHF Field Day each December.
The Korean Amateur Radio League holds a field day for 2 to 5 days at a regional branch area during the summer time every year.
CLICK ON >>>K3RA ~ FIELD DAY ARTICLE PDF<<< CLICK ON
CLICK ON >>>FIELD DAY STATIONS PAGE<<< CLICK ON
FIND A HAM RADIO CLUB CLOSE TO YOU
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"We're ALL about Amateur Radio!"
"Tous ensemble pour la radioamateur!" |
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The RSGB Contests Committee is responsible to the Board for all aspects of the Society's HF and VHF contests. It is staffed by volunteers, all of whom are keen contesters. The committee meets regularly to decide policy, organise, adjudicate and report on RSGB contests that take place each year. In formulating HF contest policy, the Committee works closely with other RSGB committees and with the contest organisers of other IARU societies.
CLICK ON >>>RSGB HFCC<<< CLICK ON
Australian Ham Radio Clubs
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New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters
is a non-profit association of amateur radio operators dedicated to amateur radio in NZ since 1926
The South African Radio League
The National Association for Amateur Radio in South Africa
Proudly serving Amateur Radio since 1925
Welcome to the web site of
The Japan Amateur Radio League, Inc. (JARL) CLICK ON >>>JARL WEBSITE<<< CLICK ON
CLICK ON >>>DARC WEBSITE<<< CLICK ON
SWEDEN AMATEUR RADIO 
CLICK ON >>>SSA WEBSITE<<< CLICK ON
European Ham Radio Clubs
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FIELD DAY & HAM RADIO CLUB INFORMATION
Information provided here as a courtesy for all of our ham radio friends
