What is Field Day?
Each year during the last FULL weekend of June the ARRL and the Amateur Radio community conduct an exercise called Field Day. It is operated as a sort of contest with points scored for the number and types of successful contacts concluded and with additional points in certain bonus categories. Generally the rules are constructed to encourage the simulation of an emergency event such that stations are compelled to operate without the usual home based infrastructure (fixed antennas, roof, commercially sourced electrical power, etc). In a real disaster, ham radio can operate when other services are offline or saturated with traffic. But to do so we must be able to operate with portable or emergency power, portable antennas, etc. Field Day provides a fun environment to simulate that activity. And while doing so, the public is uniquely exposed to the important capabilities that the Amateur Radio service provide to our communities. The rules can change slightly from year to year and you should consult the calendar, the club and the ARRL website for the latest information.
GOTAhams has operated a multi-radio / multi-operator site for each year since the club was founded. We try to keep it fun for the whole family, as in our Radio-In-The-Park outings, but on a larger and more organized basis. We have activities for kids and non-ham adults and educational materials for the public. As Field Day operates a 24 hour cycle we sometimes have camping or RV based activities to keep the stations on the air overnight. You can read more about past Field Day activities using the links below.
Public Demonstration
Field Day is a public demonstration of amateur radio. It is a great opportunity to see what amateur radio is all about. Our club will be using multiple technologies including single-sideband voice, CW (Morse code), older and newer digital modes like RTTY, PSK31, and FT8; and possibly others. You can watch, learn, or give it a try. We will have licensed and experienced operators that will help and guide you to operate a radio and communicate over the air.
This is amateur radio’s open house. All are welcome to visit us the event is completely FREE. We will have plenty of information about amateur radio. You can meet the people in our Club, the GOTAhams. We can answer questions and help you get started if you want to. You can even Get On The Air with help from the GOTAhams. You do not need to be licensed to use a radio when there is a licensed operator there to guide you.
Amateur Radio is a hobby for everyone. There are no age restrictions and few requirements that would prevent anyone from enjoying the hobby. We have licensed members in every age group, as young as 6, and as old as… well, let’s just say much older.
Some people may think Amateur Radio or Ham Radio is a dying hobby or just for old guys. The truth is that the number of licensed Hams has continued to grow both in the U.S.A and worldwide. The Boy Scouts annual Jamboree-on-the-Air (JOTA) is one of the largest Scouting events, and continues to grow, with over 1 million young Scouts making contact on Ham radios around the world. Off roaders, neighborhood groups, preppers, campers and many other groups use Ham radio everyday. Ham radio gives you the opportunity to communicate with a small group locally as well as with people around the world without the need for expensive infrastructure that could fail.
The first ARRL Field Day was in June 1933. It is held every year on the fourth full weekend of June, beginning at 1800 UTC Saturday and running through 2059 UTC Sunday.
Operators have 24 hours to make contacts with other remote stations. A contact will consist of the station call sign, grid square (location); and class designation which denotes the type of location, number of transmitters, and power source.
This Year 2025
We will be at the Bonelli Bluffs RV Park & Campground: 1440 Camper View Rd, San Dimas, CA 91773, sites B146 and B148. The GOTAhams will be operating from 11am Saturday till 9am Sunday.
Turn on to Via Verde Dr. from Fairplex Dr., Then turn right on Camper View Rd, just before you come to the guard shack for Bonelli Park. Our site is not inside Bonelli Park. Don’t try to use Via Verde Dr. from the 57 FWY, Bonelli Park may be closed. Even if it is open by then you will need to pay the park entrance fee just to drive through.
Once at the RV Park, you may be able to park in the area marked by the yellow lines. We are at sites SB146 &SB148, the area marked in pink below.
Here is a 360 video (you control the view direction with the white circle in the upper left of the video) of the drive from Fairplex Dr. on Via Verde Dr., turning right on Camper View Rd., into the RV park and past sites B146 and B148 (Driver’s side at 3:40 in the video.)
More info about Field day here:
https://www.arrl.org/field-day
Field Day 2023 – Cedar Creek Park, Eastvale Ca.
Field Day 2022 – Cedar Creek Park, Eastvale Ca.
Field Day 2021 – Cedar Creek Park, Eastvale Ca.
Field Day 2020 – Bonelli, La Verne, Ca.
Field Day 2019 – Bonelli, La Verne, Ca.