The annual A.R.R.L. Amateur Radio Field Day is next weekend! While it’s formatted like many other American Radio Relay League contests, Field Day has much more purpose than just racking up contacts. The A.R.R.L. says that Field Day is ham radio’s open house with one of its main objectives being learning to operate in abnormal situations in less than optimal conditions. In other words, it encourages us to get out and show off the hobby to others while practicing and preparing for emergencies. The A.R.R.L. adds that Field Day, “…combines public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach, and technical skills all in a single event.”
Field Day is always held on the fourth weekend of June. The on-air portion of it starts this year on Saturday, June 24, 2017 at 1 p.m. Central and lasts for 24 hours.
According to the A.R.R.L.’s online Field Day Locator, the Douglas County Amateur Radio Club will be hosting a public Field Day event in Ava, Missouri. The listed address is 309 N. Jefferson Street in Ava which is the Lions Club building. You can email Teresa KC0OKP at kc0okp@yahoo.com for more information.
Whether you go to a public Field Day event or stay home and make a few contacts, let the last weekend of this month be a time for you to review your amateur radio setup and see how you can better prepare yourself to stay on the air following a disaster.
Visit the A.R.R.L. Field Day page for more details at: www.arrl.org/field-day