Field Day 2011 near Vankleek Hill, Ontario
What is Field Day? (Courtesy of ARRL)
Field Day is a picnic, a campout, practice for emergencies, an informal contest and, most of all, FUN!
ARRL Field Day is the single most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada. On
the fourth weekend of June of each year, more than 35,000 radio amateurs gather with their clubs,
groups or simply with friends to operate from remote locations.
The contest part is simply to contact as many other stations as possible and to learn to operate our radio
gear in abnormal situations and less than optimal conditions.
We use these same skills when we help with events such as marathons and bike-a-thons; fund-raisers
such as walk-a-thons; celebrations such as parades; and exhibits at fairs, malls and museums — these
are all large, preplanned, non-emergency activities.
But despite the development of very complex, modern communications systems — or maybe because
they ARE so complex — ham radio has been called into action again and again to provide
communications in crises when it really matters. Amateur Radio people (also called “hams”) are well
known for our communications support in real disaster and post-disaster situations.
Read MoreField Day is a picnic, a campout, practice for emergencies, an informal contest and, most of all, FUN!
ARRL Field Day is the single most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada. On
the fourth weekend of June of each year, more than 35,000 radio amateurs gather with their clubs,
groups or simply with friends to operate from remote locations.
The contest part is simply to contact as many other stations as possible and to learn to operate our radio
gear in abnormal situations and less than optimal conditions.
We use these same skills when we help with events such as marathons and bike-a-thons; fund-raisers
such as walk-a-thons; celebrations such as parades; and exhibits at fairs, malls and museums — these
are all large, preplanned, non-emergency activities.
But despite the development of very complex, modern communications systems — or maybe because
they ARE so complex — ham radio has been called into action again and again to provide
communications in crises when it really matters. Amateur Radio people (also called “hams”) are well
known for our communications support in real disaster and post-disaster situations.
