On the weekend of June 22-23, 2024, in locations across the country, amateur radio operators and clubs will participate in ARRL Field Day. So what exactly is Field Day? According to ARRL Radiosport and Regulatory Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ, “It is part emergency communications exercise, part social gathering, part open house for ham radio – it is what the local club makes of it. No matter what goal your activation has, ARRL hopes it is a safe, fun, and rewarding event for each club.”
Here in the metro-Richmond area the primary field day operations is facilitated by our friends at the Richmond Area Telecommunications Society (RATS). And, as in pervious years, the event will take place at the Laurel Recreation Area, 10301 Hungary Spring Rd., in northern Henrico County. Information can be found at the RATS Summer Field Day information page. Many of our DDXG members will join in the activities.
As a kid, even before I was a licensed ham, I remember my Dad (WA3JTU, SK) making the trek to the field day location of the local central Pennsylvania club. Later, because we had a military surplus 10KW generator (before home generators were cool), Dad would participate from the home station. And every year non-hams, or hams who had not been active for a while, would find their way for the social gathering, the learning available, to get on the air, or just for the hot dogs and hamburgers. There will even be testing available if you are becoming a ham or upgrading your license.
