Visit the ARRL Field Day Web Site
Field Day June 22-23, 2002 Always The Fourth Full Weekend In June The Radio Forum's Field Day will held at WN3M's QTH. |
During the fourth full weekend in June, the eyes of the amateur radio community turn towards the
annual Field Day operating event. From its beginning back in the 1930’s as an event to test the field
preparedness and emergency communications abilities of the burgeoning amateur radio community, Field
Day has evolved into the largest on-the-air operation during the year. In 2001, contest logs were submitted
by almost 2,100 clubs, groups and individuals across the US and Canada to the ARRL Contest Branch.
These logs showed participation by over 31,000 individuals. Over 1.4 million QSOs were reported during the
brief 24-hours of the contest.
Field Day is officially an operating event rather than a contest. The purpose remains today as it did
in the beginning:
to demonstrate the communications ability of the amateur radio community insimulated emergency situations
. Groups across the continent use Field Day as a literal "show and tell"exhibition. At sites from the tundra of Alaska to the sandy beaches of Puerto Rico, amateur radio brings
together its resources to show officials in government and various agencies what "amateur radio can do."
Many clubs use Field Day as the focus of their annual calendar. Many hams that are not otherwise
interested in contesting or DXing find themselves meeting various challenges to help their club run a
successful Field Day operation. Officially, Field Day is not a contest. But it is the thrill of the "non-contest
contest" that brings out the best in thousands of amateurs who under most circumstances choose not to
participate in the various sponsored contests.