This month will be all about Field Day and talking about the summer months.

What is Field Day?

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 each year, more than 35,000 radio amateurs gather to operate from remote locations.

Field Day is a picnic, a campout, practice for emergencies, an informal contest, and most of all, FUN!

It is a time where Amateur Radio Operators come together to highlight our many roles. While some will treat it as a contest, others use the opportunity to practice their emergency response capabilities. It is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate to various organizations what place Amateur Radio might serve in an emergency, as well as the general public. For many clubs, ARRL Field Day is one of the highlights of their annual calendar.

The contest part is simply. Contact as many other stations as possible and 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, bike-a-thons or fund-raisers such as walk-a-thons. Celebrations such as parades, exhibits at malls and museums are large, preplanned, non-emergency activities.

Despite the development of very complex, modern communications systems, ham radio has been called into action again and again to provide communications in crises when it really matters. Amateur Radio operators (also called “hams”) are well known for communications support in real disaster and post-disaster situations.

Read more at the ARRL Field Day Web Page: http://www.arrl.org/field-day