ARRL Field Day
Summer Field Day is an annual amateur radio exercise, sponsored by the ARRL, encouraging emergency communications preparedness among amateur radio operators. In Canada, it is sponsored by RAC and is the largest single emergency preparedness exercise in the country and our club’s largest annual “on the air” event.
Since the first Field Day in 1933, radio amateurs throughout North America have practiced the rapid deployment of radio communications equipment in environments ranging from operations under tents in remote areas to operations inside Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs).
We operate using alternative power (generators and/or solar energy), since electricity and other public infrastructure are often among the first to fail during a natural disaster or severe weather.
To determine the effectiveness of the exercise and of each participant’s operations, there is an integrated contesting component, and YRARC also engages in concurrent leisure activities (camping out with an excellent kitchen, etc.). Operations run continuously for twenty-four hours, providing all operators with a chance to try out the various stations running at the site. The club also takes advantage of the extra points for experimenting with unusual modes, making contacts via satellite, and inviting visitors to use our stations.
The club’s Field Day takes place at: 4812 Vandorf Sideroad, Whitchurch-Stouffville, on the fourth Saturday of June each year.
Steve VE3UT
