Saturday, June 23, 2012

This is the ARRL Field Day weekend

 What is ARRL Field Day?

As stated on the ARRL website:
"Field Day is always the fourth full weekend of June, beginning at 1800 UTC Saturday and running through 2059 UTC Sunday. 

Thus, "Field Day 2012 will be held June 23-24, 2012.

In Chattanooga theW4AM Ham Club Field Day will run from 2 PM Saturday until 2 PM Sunday. The entire 24 hours will find Hams sitting at their radios and communicating by phone (voice), digital, and CW (Morse Code), plus EME (earth moon earth bounce), satellite communication with the space station, and more. WOW.

In Peachtree City, GA, the Fayette County Amateur Radio Club will do the same but will also have streaming video of their Field Day Activities.  The link to view that is http://www.ustream.tv/channel/kk4gq

So what exactly IS Field Day? you ask.

Field Day is when hams participate in a contest to contact as many folks around the country and around the world as possible.  It is also an emergency preparedness exercise and a fun time with other hams in their club. 

They do this by going on the air for 24 round the clock hours using only battery, solar, or generator power instead of the usual plug in the wall commercial power

Why?

Basically because it is a good way to test their equipment since this is usually how they have to operate during disasters, floods, hurricanes (such as Katrina), and other events when commercial power is down.

During disasters Hams set up portable antennas, power up their radios, and go on the air to help the police, firemen, rescue squads, search teams, etc. 
ARRL Field Day is held annually in the US and Canada with over 35,000 amateurs involved either individually or in groups.
If you are a Ham you already know about Field Day and are likely participating.
If you are not a Ham (Amateur Radio Operator) you are invited to attend the Field Day nearest you. You will be welcomed with open arms and will be shown what is happening. In so doing, hopefully you will catch the 'bug' and become a Ham.
For those of you who can't attend a Field Day in person but do have a Short Wave radio, you might hear some of the activity as you tune the dial. 
Hint: The Bands on which you are most likely to 'find/hear' the Hams will be 40, 20, 15, 10, 6, and 2 meters as well as the 70 CM band.
But don't just sit by your Shortwave radio, go to one of the thousands of sites that will be up and running in the US and Canada.  You don't have to stay all 24 hours but do drop in and see what is going on.  You will be amazed.
To find a Field Day Site near you, there is a nify 'locator' on the ARRL website.  HERE'S THE LINK
..