Pictures of Field Day 2007 Pictures of previous Field Day exercises: 2006 2003 2002 2001 2000 Information Package for Field Day Rolla Daily News article on FD '07

NEWS SUMMARY: Rolla Area Hams Gear Up to Make Long Distance Contacts and Practice Emergency Communication Skills

Rolla, April 13, 2008 - Rolla area Amateur Radio operators will work around the clock on the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, June 28 & 29 to set up field radio communication stations, get on the air and contact hundreds of other amateur operators, also known as hams, in the US and Canada as part of participation in the American Radio Relay League's Field Day.

Field Day is the annual "shakedown run" for the ARRL's National Field Organization. Field Day is a way for hams to get outdoors and have fun under some difficult conditions. It's also a chance to test and improve amateur-radio operator's emergency communication skills. The Rolla Regional Amateur Radio Society will use generators and battery power to simulate operation in a remote area and in emergency conditions, and will set up antennas in the field. The challenge is to put together a self-sufficient, working radio station quickly and begin making contacts with other radio operators.

The ARRL Field Organization has been effective in establishing emergency communications nets during floods, hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, terrorist attacks, and other major disasters, whether they be local, regional, or national in scope. Members of formal emergency organizations such as the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and the Radio Amateur Communication Emergency Services (RACES) regularly paticipate. The League estimates that more than 35,000 hams participate in Field Day every year.

Rolla Regional's Field Day operations will take place at the Rolla Lion's Club Park, pavilion 14, off of Highway 63 South in Rolla. Setup begins at 11:00 on Saturday morning, June 28 and on-air operations will be from 1:00 PM Saturday until 1:00 PM Sunday. The public is invited to visit and participate. For more information, contact Joe Counsil, 341-5186, or at http://rrars.org on the web.

SUMMARY: Rolla area amateur radio operators to contact hundreds of other hams throughout North America in the largest ham radio on-air event.

WHO: Licensed Amateur Radio Operators - unlicensed visitors are also welcome, and may participate.

WHAT: Hams will set up and operate field radio stations to contact other hams throughout the US and Canada over 24 hours. Objective is to see who can make the highest number of contacts during the contest period.

WHERE: Rolla Lion's Club Park, pavilion 14, Rolla, Missouri.

WHEN: June 28 and 29, 2008 (1:00 PM Saturday until 1:00 PM Sunday). Setup begins at 11:00 AM Saturday.

WHY: Participation in the American Radio Relay League's Field Day. Amateur Radio operators practice communication skills under primitive conditions, with gernerator and battery-powered equipment and portable antennas. Field Day is a competition as well as a "trial run" for emergency communication skills used during disaster situations.

Photo opportunities, interviews, activities of local participants in important national Amateur Radio event. See different Amateur Radio communication modes in action, including voice, Morse code, and digital communications.

CONTACT: Joe Counsil (KØOG)
Rolla Regional Amateur Radio Society
Phone: 573-341-5186
(Or, contact us via the e-mail link below.)