The Five Flags Amateur Radio Association will be participating in Winter Field Day 2026, a national amateur radio operating event focused on emergency communications readiness, portable operations, and teamwork under real-world conditions.
Winter Field Day is organized by the Winter Field Day Association and is specifically designed to help amateur radio operators practice deploying stations, operating from temporary locations, and working with limited or emergency power — skills that directly translate to public service and disaster response.
📅 Event Dates & Times
Winter Field Day 2026
Saturday–Sunday, January 24–25, 2026
Official Operating Period:
- Starts: Saturday, January 24 at 1600 UTC
- Ends: Sunday, January 25 at 2159 UTC
Local Time (Central Time – Pensacola):
- Saturday: 10:00 AM
- Sunday: 3:59 PM
🔗 Official event details and rules:
https://winterfieldday.org/
https://winterfieldday.org/sop.php
📍 FFARA Operating Location
Escambia Search & Rescue Building
9530 Nims Lane
Pensacola, FL 32534
GPS Coordinates:
30.5342° N, −87.2691° W
This location will serve as our central operating site for radios, antennas, logging, and coordination throughout the event.
📡 What Is Winter Field Day?
Winter Field Day is not ARRL Field Day — it is a separate event with a winter-operations focus. Stations across North America and beyond operate portable, home, or mobile stations and exchange required information on the air.
Required exchange includes:
- Your call sign
- A category number (number of simultaneous transmitters)
- A class identifier
- Your ARRL/RAC section
Operations may be conducted on HF, VHF, and UHF, using phone, CW, or digital modes.
📄 2026 Rules (PDF):
https://winterfieldday.org/downloads/2026-rules-v3.pdf
🛠️ How to Prepare for Winter Field Day
To make the weekend smooth and successful, preparation is key. Here’s how members can get ready ahead of time:
🔌 Equipment & Gear
- World Radio League Logging App – Available on Iphone & Android.
- Radios, tuners, microphones, headsets
- Power supplies, batteries, extension cords
- Antennas, coax, connectors, and supports
- Laptops or tablets for logging
- Cold-weather or outdoor-appropriate clothing
📋 Operating Readiness
- Review Winter Field Day rules and exchange format
- Test radios and antennas in advance if possible
- Familiarize yourself with logging software
- Coordinate band and mode preferences with the group
🤝 Spreading the Work (Team Approach)
Winter Field Day works best when everyone contributes. Not everyone needs to operate a radio to help make the event successful.
🧑💻 Ways to Participate
- Operators: Run HF, VHF, or digital stations
- Loggers: Assist operators with accurate logging
- Setup Crew: Help with antennas, tables, power, and radios
- Teardown Crew: Help pack and restore the site afterward
- Support & Visitors: Observe, learn, and ask questions
Short shifts are encouraged — even an hour or two helps spread the workload and keeps operators fresh.
🎯 Why Winter Field Day Matters
Winter Field Day helps our club:
- Practice emergency communications skills
- Test equipment and procedures under realistic conditions
- Build teamwork and operator confidence
- Introduce newer hams to field operations
- Strengthen readiness for ARES and public-service events
📌 Get Involved
Whether you’re an experienced HF operator or a newly licensed ham, Winter Field Day is a fun, educational, and hands-on way to sharpen your skills and support the club.
👉 Learn more about Winter Field Day:
https://winterfieldday.org/
We look forward to seeing members on site — and hearing FFARA on the air! 📻