Episode: 4693
Title: Amateur Radio Field Days
Source: https://hub.hackerpublicradio.org/ccdn.php?filename=/eps/hpr4693/hpr4693.mp3
Transcribed: 2026-07-31 16:16:54 (official HPR transcript)

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This is Hacker Public Radio Episode 4693, for 2026-07-29
Today's show is entitled, "Amateur Radio Field Days"
The host is Archer72 and the duration is 00:11:14
The flag is Clean, and the license is CC-BY-SA
The summary is "Archer72 talks briefly about the worldwide Amateur Radio Field Days"
article and it's an annual amateur radio contest widely sponsored by the IARU regions and
member organizations encouraging emergency communications preparedness among radio amateur
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. Field Day is always
the fourth full weekend of June beginning at 1,800 UTC Saturday and running through
259 UTC Sunday. Since the first 8 o'clock RL field day in 1933 radio amateur is throughout North America
have practiced the rapid deployment of radio communications equipment and environments ranging from
operations under tents and remote areas to operations inside emergency operations centers.
Operations using emergency and alternative power sources are highly encouraged since electricity
and other public infrastructures are often among the first to fail during national
the first to fail during a natural disaster or severe weather. To determine the effectiveness
to determine the effectiveness of the exercise and of each participant's operations
there is an integrated competitive component and many clubs also engage in concurrent
leisure activities or example camping in cookouts. Operations typically last at continuous 24 hours
requiring scheduled relief operators to keep the stations on the air. On the day additional
contest points are rewarded for experimenting with unusual modes making context be a satellite
and involving youth in the activity. International field day events i.a. are you region one
sponsors and amateur radio field day for Europe and Belgium the Royal Union of Belgium
amateur radio amateurs organizes the field days in Belgium. In the United Kingdom the Radio Society
of Great Britain holds its field days with the region one schedule but has its own awards
independent of the rest of the I.A. R.U. region. C.W. is the first full weekend of June from Saturday
1500 UTC to 1500 UTC June 1st and 2nd has 2019 as of this reading. Single side band first
full weekend of September from Saturday 1300 UTC to Sunday 1300 UTC September 7th through the 8th
2019 as of this reading. The Doitser amateur radio club refer at DXU H Funk Sport hold this
field days with the region one schedule. C.W. is the first full weekend of June from Saturday
1500 UTC to Sunday 1500 UTC June 1 to 1st to the 2nd 2019 as of this reading. Single side band
is the first full weekend of September from Saturday 1300 UTC to Sunday 1300 UTC from September 7th
to the 8th 2019 as of this reading. In Greece the Radio Amateur Association of Greece
organizes the National Field Day with region one SSB Field Day first weekend of September.
It issues its own awards for the highest scoring Greek stations who participate in submit contest
logs. In Italy the associate Zione Radio Amateur Italiano holds its field days with region one schedule.
C.W. is the first full weekend of June from Saturday 1500 UTC to Sunday 1500 UTC
UTC on June 4 to the 5th 22 22 as of this reading. Single side band SSB is the first full weekend
of September from Saturday 1300 UTC to Sunday 1300 UTC September 3rd to the 4th 22 as of this
reading. I.A. are you region two United States and Canada. The American Radio Relay League
slash radio amateurs of Canada Field Day is held annually during the first full weekend in June
beginning at 1800 UTC Saturday and running through 25 29 UTC Sunday.
Sponsored by the AA WRL and RAC but organizes primarily by AA WRL. Field Day is open to all
amateur radio operators covered by these two I.A. R.U. member organizations.
In Brazil the scout movement in Brazil also participates in scout field day with the participation
of amateur radio scouts during the second week of June. Scout field day like what happens around
the world takes young people to the countryside squares, grounds and public places other than scout
headquarters so they can assemble their equipment. If possible in a sustainable way to work
with a short time to work during short time in emergency mode safely learning details and
prepared preparing to save or help lives. Scouts field day is a camp or excursion with the same
preparations as any other scout activity however with the use of radio stations in BHF UHF and HF
transmitting and receiving signals via phone and even telegarvy. I.A. R.U. region 3. There is currently
no organized field day for all of region 3 all there is a proposal to create one similar to
that of region 1. In Taiwan there is a bay annual field day held in Taiwan by the Chinese
Taipei amateur radio league. In New Zealand the New Zealand association of radio transmitters
holds in HF National Field Day as of 2015 which is archived in the way back machine.
It's a contest every February and a VHF field day each December.
The Korean amateur radio league holds a field day for two to five days at a regional branch
during summer every year. In Australia the wireless institute of Australia holds the
John Moelle Field Day in March every year. Emergency preparedness field day stresses
emergency preparedness frequently radio clubs get involved and assemble a portable radio
station in a field or park. Some might use quickly deployable portable antennas while others
might erect more elaborate radio mass and towers supporting several antennas generators or solar
power provide electricity to amateur radio receivers which may be located in tents, cars,
recreational vehicles or other portable shelters. Contest rules and activities
officially field day in the US is an operating event in not a contest. However it does operate
exactly like a contest without awards. The competitive aspect of a field day operating event
is to contact as many stations as possible in a given time period 24 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 the other participating
stations. For the North American field day the exchange consists of the station call sign.
The name of a double RL recognize 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 and source being used. The contest portion of
field day has two purposes. The primary purpose is to test the group's ability to plan operations.
They can be effective for an entire 24 hour period including operator and dorms and adequate
number of operators for 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 dire conditions.
Such a station will also be capable of making more contacts during the contest portion of
field day. Point systems are structured to motivate emergency preparedness activities such as
designating a safety officer for the station or incorporating auxiliary power capabilities.
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 using single
sideband voice. Morse code commonly called CW digital mode such as RTTY PSK31 and Winlink among others
and communication via amateur radio satellites. As of July 16th, 2026 this is my first amateur radio
field day that I had participated only as an observer in the past month. This has been
archer 72 and I'm encouraging anybody listening to get out and participate in either your
hand radio club or any other type of club just and we'd like to hear about it on hacker
public radio.
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