ARRL Field Day 2026

June 27 – 28, 2026 · 1800 UTC Saturday to 2059 UTC Sunday

ARRL Field Day is amateur radio’s largest annual operating event — part contest, part public demonstration, part emergency preparedness exercise. For 24 hours, radio clubs across North America set up temporary stations using emergency power and try to contact as many other stations as possible across as many bands and modes as they can.

CCARES participates every year. Come operate, learn, watch, or just hang out.

Location

EOC #2 – Marycrest Manor, lower parking lot

📍 Get directions

Parking is available in the lower lot. Look for the antennas.

Sign-up form

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Schedule


Friday, June 27 · 8:00 AM PDT	Setup begins — antennas, power, logging
Saturday, June 27 · 11:00 AM PDT	1800 UTC — operating begins
Sunday, June 28 · 1:59 PM PDT	2059 UTC — operating ends
After closeout	Teardown, log submission

Setup may begin no earlier than 0000 UTC Friday (Thursday evening local time). Total setup time cannot exceed 24 hours.

What we’re operating

Band	Modes
160 / 80 / 40 / 20 / 15 / 10 m	SSB, CW

6 m and above	SSB, FM
Satellite	SSB/CW (if pass timing allows)

Exact band plan depends on operator availability and conditions. Subject to change.

How scoring works

Field Day runs from 1800 UTC Saturday to 2059 UTC Sunday — that’s about 26 hours of operating time. The object is to work as many stations as possible on the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meter HF bands, as well as all bands 50 MHz and above. ARRL ARRL

Scores are based on the total number of QSO points times the power multiplier corresponding to the highest power level used, plus bonus points. Stations running medium or low power are rewarded by scoring more points per contact — typically 2× for up to 150 W and 5× for up to 5 W.

A 100% emergency power bonus of 100 points per transmitter is available if all contacts are made using a power source completely independent of the commercial power mains. ARRL

Bonus point opportunities

Beyond contacts, clubs earn bonus points for activities that directly map to real emergency preparedness:

Natural power — solar, wind, or water-powered operation
100% emergency power — no commercial mains at all
Satellite QSO — at least one contact via an amateur satellite
Digital modes — at least one digital contact (FT8, PSK31, etc.)
Public information table — educational display for visitors
Elected official visit — a government rep stops by
Media publicity — local press coverage of the event
W1AW Field Day message — copying the ARRL bulletin via any mode
GOTA station — Get On The Air station for new and unlicensed operators

Come visit — no license required

Field Day is open to the public. If you’ve ever wondered what amateur radio actually sounds like, or what a real emergency communications setup looks like, this is the best day of the year to find out.

Licensed operators can sit down and make contacts. Unlicensed visitors can operate under supervision at the GOTA (Get On The Air) station — no exam needed.