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Field Day 2008   

Field Day is an annual amateur radio exercise sponsored by the American Radio Relay League which encourages emergency communications preparedness. It typically is the largest single emergency preparedness exercise in the country with over 30,000 ham radio operators participating each year.

Since the first Field Day in 1933, Amateur radio operators throughout the United States have practiced the rapid deployment of radio communications equipment in environments ranging from operations under tents in remote areas to operations inside Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs). Operations using emergency and alternative power sources are highly encouraged, since electricity and other public infrastructures are often among the first to fail during a natural disaster or severe weather.

To determine the effectiveness of the exercise and each participant's operations, there is an integrated contesting component and many clubs also engage in associated fun activities of camping out and having cookouts for the participants. Operations are typically for a continuous 24 hours requiring the scheduling of relief operators to keep the stations going through the night. Additional contest points are awarded for such things as experimenting with unusual modes, making contacts through space satellites and involving youth in the activity.

In the Western Hemisphere the ARRL Field Day is held annually the fourth full weekend in June (June 28-29 in 2008). 

ARRL Field Day Packet of rules, entry forms etc can be viewed and downloaded here.

HCARC Field Day 2008 Photos

Houston County Emergency Management Communication Command Vehicle.  Operators L to R:  Van Sims, N5RZQ; Gene Grimes, AD5QR; Ted Harding, W5WAG; Ray Lively, W5DLC; Randy Hargrove, KD5LZJ; David Hash, KE5PJO; Carolyn Hash

Central Operations Area. Generators, Antennas.

Portable Emergency Generators and crank-up tower.

L to R.  Houston County Ham Radio Emergency Coordinator: Van Sims, N5RZQ; Houston County Judge: Lonnie Hunt; Latexo Mayor: Debbie Brunner.  All at one of the operator positions.

L to R. Emergency Coordinator: Van Sims, N5RZQ; Operator: Bob McWilliams, KD5VAU; and  Houston County Emergency Management / Fire Marshall: David Lamb, N5FMO.

Emergency Coordinator: Van Sims, N5RZQ at 40 meter long distance operator position.

Ray Lively, W5DLC at 75 meter long distance operator position.

Houston County Emergency Management Communication Command Vehicle.  Operators L to R:  Van Sims, N5RZQ; Tommy Walton , KE5TLW; Ted Harding, W5WAG; Ray Lively, W5DLC; Randy Hargrove, KD5LZJ; David Hash, KE5PJO; Carolyn Hash.

R to L. Get-On-The-Air (GOTA) station operator David Hash, KE5PJO and QSO Logger Carolyn Hash.

Public Information Table – Ted Harding, W5WAG.  He is known to take a nap with that smiley expression on his face.

Field Day Hams hard at work doing an eyeball QSO.

HCARC president, Randy Hargrove - KD5LZJ, supervising the portable electron maker (known as a generator)  Start up crew busy trying to make it work.  Notice they are in the start-up position.  David Lamb - N5FMO (far right) is at the ready just in case the first crew can't figure it out.

Up and operating in less than 1-1/2 hours.

What a great Field Day team.

Houston County, Texas, we are ready!!