Member III
If you are new to amateur radio or just haven't been too involved Field Day is an annual event where ham radio operators set up offgrid stations and temporary antennas and operate for 24 hours trying to make as many contacts as possible.
It is a wide spread disaster scenario and a contest in one. It is the largest ham radio event in North America with many many clubs participating.
You may opt to visit or operate with a local club, they generally set up in a local park or fire station and that's perfectly fine. However this is OB and we all like to get away so this seems like a perfect opportunity.
I know this may seem a little early, but it would be a good time to start getting your plan together if you haven't already.
A few things to note:
Though VHF contacts are allowed for FD, HF is where the activity is at.
You only need one licensed individual on site, preferably a General or Extra license holder. Even if someone is a Technician or non-license holder they can still get on the air using the privileges of the highest licensee on site.
You may want to log your contact for submission, if using a generator for power you may be able to run computers for this. However if you are running on solar or battery you can get an app for logging using a tablet. I use Hamlog (Android and IOS) which has a setting just for FD logging.
You may operate from home using main power if you would like, the other stations participating will gladly except the contact.
The exchange of info is easy and quick: callsign, class, and state. Example: WX5SKY 3A OK... my call, 3A = 3 HF Transmitters / A = portable station of 3 or more people, OK (State). This is great for those that may be mic shy.
Voice, CW (morse code), and Digital are all excepted modes of operation. CW and Digital are worth more points per contact.
Operate as little or as much as you want, the event runs for 24 hours but that doesn't mean you have to.
Rules and more (such as a field day site locator) can get found here: Field Day
Field day is an upcoming topic for the weekly net.
Perhaps some OB members would like to get together for FD, maybe make a Rally Point out of it for those that may be interest in ham radio but haven't made the plunge yet.
I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.
In previous years I had spent FD with the local club I run around with at a fire station. Pics below are from last year.
This year I plan to head to SE Oklahoma to the Ouachita National Forest and set up with a buddy or two.
Raising the multiband HF and 6 meter Yagis.
Multiband Vertical, multiband wire, and the satellite antennas can also be seen here.
If you couldn't tell by the clouds in the above pictures we were anticipating bad weather which finally arrived in the middle of Saturday night shutting down operations for a number of hours. Caught this beautiful strike.
It is a wide spread disaster scenario and a contest in one. It is the largest ham radio event in North America with many many clubs participating.
You may opt to visit or operate with a local club, they generally set up in a local park or fire station and that's perfectly fine. However this is OB and we all like to get away so this seems like a perfect opportunity.
I know this may seem a little early, but it would be a good time to start getting your plan together if you haven't already.
A few things to note:
Though VHF contacts are allowed for FD, HF is where the activity is at.
You only need one licensed individual on site, preferably a General or Extra license holder. Even if someone is a Technician or non-license holder they can still get on the air using the privileges of the highest licensee on site.
You may want to log your contact for submission, if using a generator for power you may be able to run computers for this. However if you are running on solar or battery you can get an app for logging using a tablet. I use Hamlog (Android and IOS) which has a setting just for FD logging.
You may operate from home using main power if you would like, the other stations participating will gladly except the contact.
The exchange of info is easy and quick: callsign, class, and state. Example: WX5SKY 3A OK... my call, 3A = 3 HF Transmitters / A = portable station of 3 or more people, OK (State). This is great for those that may be mic shy.
Voice, CW (morse code), and Digital are all excepted modes of operation. CW and Digital are worth more points per contact.
Operate as little or as much as you want, the event runs for 24 hours but that doesn't mean you have to.
Rules and more (such as a field day site locator) can get found here: Field Day
Field day is an upcoming topic for the weekly net.
Perhaps some OB members would like to get together for FD, maybe make a Rally Point out of it for those that may be interest in ham radio but haven't made the plunge yet.
I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.
In previous years I had spent FD with the local club I run around with at a fire station. Pics below are from last year.
This year I plan to head to SE Oklahoma to the Ouachita National Forest and set up with a buddy or two.
Raising the multiband HF and 6 meter Yagis.
Multiband Vertical, multiband wire, and the satellite antennas can also be seen here.
If you couldn't tell by the clouds in the above pictures we were anticipating bad weather which finally arrived in the middle of Saturday night shutting down operations for a number of hours. Caught this beautiful strike.
