Field Day 2025
Since 1933, ARRL Field Day has become the most popular ham radio on-air activity. More than 30,000 are reported as active participants each year. Field Day developed over the years from a “practice” to prepare to provide emergency communications, to a “showcase” of Amateur Radio in general. The Field Day rules provide for activities that demonstrate many aspects of ham radio.
Austin ARC will typically setup several operating positions for different modes and frequency bands. There will be a Get-On-The-Air (GOTA) station for new comers, those hams who’ve recently been inactive, even the unlicensed, to make contacts on the air with the help of an experienced ham as control operator.
For Field Day, we setup all the radios, antennas and related equipment to operate “in the field”, i.e. not using permanently installed station facilities, for a full 24 hours. We qualify as a Class A entry: stations in the field making contacts using power from other than commercial mains.
In many recent years we held Field Day at the American Red Cross in Austin. But the buildings there are being demolished and a new one built. Thus we will set up in 2025 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church at 4622 South Lamar Blvd. Operations will be in Building A.
We’ll be there from about 9 a.m. Saturday, June 28th, through mid-afternoon Sunday June 29th. The first few hours on Saturday are for setup of antennas, radios and equipment, and the final few hours on Sunday are for equipment tear down and cleanup.
Actual on-the-air radio operating time will begin Saturday, June 28, 1800 UTC (1 p.m. Central Daylight Time), and end Sunday June 29, 1800 UTC — a full 24 hours!
Almost as important as Field Day itself is the food! Be sure to be there at meal times and don’t miss out! There’s usually FREE FOOD! And drinks and snacks around the clock.
- Saturday Lunch: Pizza
- Saturday Dinner: BBQ
- Sunday Breakfast: Tacos
Check back for more details later.