If you’ve been hanging around the amateur radio community for any length of time, you know that June is a sacred month. It’s the month of ARRL Field Day, one of the most popular on-the-air event in amateur radio.
Since I first got licensed in 2022 and moved up to General last year, I’ve spent a lot of time listening and learning. But this year, I’m finally crossing the line from “listener” to “operator.” I am thrilled to announce that this will be my very first Field Day participation!
Whether you’re a seasoned “Old Timer” or someone still studying for your Technician exam, Field Day is the perfect time to see what our hobby is truly capable of. Here is a breakdown of what the event is all about and how I’m planning my debut activation.
What is ARRL Field Day?
At its heart, Field Day (held annually on the fourth full weekend of June) is an emergency preparedness exercise. While it feels like a contest, the ARRL (American Radio Relay League) designed it as a way for hams to practice operating in “abnormal situations and less-than-optimal conditions.”
The goal is simple: set up a station away from the comforts of your home “shack” and see how many contacts you can make. If a real disaster struck and the power grid failed, could you get a signal out? Field Day proves you can.
The Scoring:
More Than Just ContactsWhile you earn points for every station you work, the ARRL incentivizes “real-world” skills through bonus points:
- Phone (SSB) Contacts: 1 point each.
- Digital (FT8/RTTY) & CW Contacts: 2 points each (rewarding technical efficiency).
- Emergency Power Bonus: 100 points per transmitter if you operate entirely off the grid (batteries, solar, or generators).
- Alternative Power Bonus: 100 points for making at least five contacts using “natural” power like solar or wind.
- Public Location Bonus: 100 points for setting up in a place like a local park to show the public what hams do.
My Mission: The “Park Portable” Setup
For my first Field Day, I’m keeping things lean, mobile, and green. I’ve teamed up with another ham in my neighborhood, and we’re heading to a small park near our homes to set up shop.
The Gear
I’ll be bringing out my Yaesu FT-891. It’s a rugged, compact mobile HF rig that’s perfect for this kind of work. For the “ears,” I’m deploying a 20m/40m vertical antenna. These two bands are the workhorses of Field Day, and a vertical should give us the low takeoff angle we need to reach across the country.
The Modes
I plan to work a mix of:
- Digital (FT8): Using a laptop interfaced with the 891. FT8 is incredible for making contacts when the bands are crowded or weak.
- SSB (Single Sideband): There’s nothing like the excitement of a voice pile-up during Field Day. It’s the best way to practice clear, concise communication.
The Power Strategy
In the spirit of true emergency prep, I plan to go 100% off-grid. I’ll be running entirely on battery power, supplemented by solar panels to keep the batteries topped off throughout the day. Not only does this keep us quiet (no noisy generators!), but it also qualifies us for those Alternative Power bonus points!
Why You Should Get Involved?
If you’ve been on the fence about ham radio, Field Day is the “Open House” you don’t want to miss. It’s where the tech-heavy world of radio meets the great outdoors. You’ll see antennas made of wire strung through trees, solar arrays powering global communications, and a community of people who are always ready to help a newcomer.
My advice? Don’t wait until you “know everything” to participate. I’ve worked in tech my whole career, and I’m still learning something new every time I pick up the mic. Field Day is about the struggle, the troubleshooting, and the ultimate reward of hearing your callsign acknowledged from a thousand miles away.I’ll be posting a full recap of the hits (and the inevitable technical misses) after the event. Until then, I hope to hear you on the air!
73,
Chris - K5CTW The Ham Radio Lab