ARRL Field Day 2025

Field Day 2025

Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, June 29

Location: Kettle Moraine State Park – South (Ottawa Lake)

Picnic area #A

After action report from N9EEE:

Sunshine and 80s – check
Covered pavillion and picnic tables – check
POTA and Portable Operators set up Field Day in less than an hour. Twice! – check and check
Solar panels deployed and charging batteries – check
Airgun (aka pneumatic antenna launcher) deploys 80m interveted Vee over 80 ft tree (new world record?) – check
Radios supplied by Carter, AB9C, William, WM9H, and Jeff KD9VGH
George, KE9CKF (Technician) operating GOTA (first HF contacts). Can’t tear him away from the radio – check
Don, W9ATU (OM) operating 40-meters. Can’t tear him away from the radio either…3 hours later and still having fun! – check
WUWM interview – check
Husband of WUWM interviewer gets a taste of ham radio via GOTA – check
Slow-smoked pulled pork from Carter. Slow-grilled brats from KD9YYI – check and check
Safety officer planted little orange flags near every cable and antenna  – check
New members and old talking ham radio – check
If you missed Field Day 2025, there will be Field Day 2026. Don’t miss it!
Operate | Educate | Social-ate

ARRL Field Day, the fourth weekend in June, puts amateur radio on full display nationwide when operators fan out to parks, fields, and other public places to simulate emergency communications in time of a disaster. The MRAC utilizes a public location and invites other amateur radio operators to join in the effort to showcase reliable communications using Morse code, voice, data, and satellite modes. The public is welcome to view our operations and find out more about Amateur Radio.

 

 

Operate

The object of Field Day is to communicate with as many other Field Day stations on the designated HF, VHF, and UHF bands. We encourage all club members and guests to participate and enhance their radio communications knowledge and skills. The public is welcome to observe and learn about this fascinating hobby in a simulated emergency communications environment.

Educate
How to work the satellites with an HT (handy talkie) and handheld antenna is our educational activity this year. No doubt, a fox hunt could break out at any time. Want to learn about setting up in a park? Want to learn about the hobby? You’ll be in the right place for answers.

Social-ate
Ok, so it may not be a real word, but we do it anyway. We enjoy the camaraderie of our members and ability to tell a good story. Bring a chair and join in the conversation when you’re not on the air. BYO food and drinks. Park grills are available.

We will be operating within the spirit of Field Day by setting up on the day of the event.

  • Our class is 3A, meaning a maximum of three transmitters will be operating under the call sign of W9RH at any point in time. This does not include a GOTA station which has a separate call sign. We will also have a VHF (2 meters) station operating simplex (146.520 MHz).
  • We will be operating under emergency power during the entire event for all transmitters, making this a true simulation of emergency communications.
  • Club members wishing to operate may operate one of the three transceivers onsite or bring their own radio for familiarity.
  • EFHW and vertical antennas will be installed and positioned for maximum coverage and least interference with each other. We also employ the use of Band Pass Filters to eliminate cross-band interference.
  • Maximum power output is limited to100 watts.
  • We will pursue available bonus points, including public information table, educational activity, safety officer, media publicity, ARRL bulletin, message to Section Manager, satellite contact, as well as a GOTA (Get On The Air) station for new or non-licensed hams.
  • Feel free to operate or observe. On-air operators would also welcome the help of “loggers”; those who input the call sign and exchange information for each contact.
  • Come for a while or stay for the day. Cool refreshing lake water is nearby. Hiking trails offer a tranquil setting to unwind.
  • Food and drink is BYO
  • A social area will be designated to leave a quiet zone near the on-air stations.
  • Special note: W9RH is not available for at-home operation. Only the Field Day site.