Field Day 2026 – What you need to know!

Coos County Radio Club Field Day 2026

Saturday June 27^th and Sunday June 28^th

Bandon City Park – 1217 11^th St. SW

Bandon Oregon, Coos County

Come be a part of the most popular on-the-air operating event in amateur radio. Join the Coos County Radio Club and your community and get in on the action!

What is ARRL Field Day?

You’re Invited! ARRL Field Day is a radio communications event that brings together amateur radio operators (also called “hams”) within your community. The theme for 2026 Field Day is Amateur Radio: A National Resource – highlighting the many ways that wireless technology connects people across distances near and far. The event is part picnic, campout, practice for emergencies, informal contest, and most of all, fun! ARRL Field Day is the most popular ham radio activity held annually in the US and Canada. On the fourth weekend in June each year, more than 31,000 hams get together with their radio clubs, schools, or friends to operate from remote locations.

https://www.arrl.org/field-day

For many radio clubs, ARRL Field Day is one of the highlights on their annual calendar. A typical Field Day site will show off many aspects of amateur radio and its many roles.

Some groups use Field Day as an opportunity to practice their emergency communications readiness. ARRL Field Day is an annual demonstration and invites the general public and organizations to see how amateur radio can serve in an emergency, When All Else Fails®. Hams are well-known for their communications support in real disaster and post-disaster situations. Despite the development of very complex, modern communications systems — or maybe because they are so complex — ham radio has been called into action, again and again, to provide communications in crises when it really matters.

Amateur radio also inspires the next generation of technical leaders by providing a hands-on sandbox where students gain experience in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

For those with a competitive spirit, Field Day stations compete to make radio contacts with as many other stations as possible while learning to operate radio equipment in challenging situations and less-than-optimal conditions. These same skills are used by hams who volunteer to help with large, preplanned, non-emergency events such as marathons and bike-a-thons; fundraisers such as walk-a-thons; celebrations such as parades, and exhibits at fairs, malls, and museums.

Who is ARRL?

With more than 137,000 members, ARRL is The National Association for Amateur Radio in the US. Our mission is to promote and protect the art, science, and enjoyment of amateur radio, and to develop the next generation of radio amateurs. ARRL and our affiliated radio clubs provide benefits to members to discover radio, to develop new skills, and to serve your local community.

What is Amateur Radio?

Often called “ham radio,” the Amateur Radio Service is a worldwide community of licensed operators using the airwaves with every conceivable means of communications technology. It is made up of people who enjoy learning and being able to transmit voice, data, and pictures through the airwaves to places near and far without depending on commercial systems. The amateur radio frequencies are the last remaining place in the usable radio spectrum where an individual can develop and experiment with wireless communications. Not only can hams build and modify their equipment, but they can also create new ways to communicate via the airwaves — and do it as a globally connected community. Many people in the hobby form lifelong friendships with people they wouldn’t have otherwise met. Many rock stars, Hollywood actors, and heads of state (and even your neighbor down the street) are ham radio operators. You can be, too! Get started at ARRL Field Day!

Courtesy of ARRL Publications

Current schedule of events for club members:

(Subject to change)

Friday June 26^th

• 1:30 PM: Initial staging and setting up of antennas and trailers at Bandon City Park. Any available members are encouraged to be here to help.

Saturday June 27^th

• 8:00AM: Final set up and preparations for operating.
• 11:00AM: Operations begin.
• 12:00PM: Officially open to the public…. We will not turn early birds away!
• 4:30PM: BBQ is fired up!
• 5:00PM: Members only BBQ and Potluck. Club supplies the burgers and hot dogs, please bring a side dish, your own drinks, and chairs to sit on.

** If you plan on attending the dinner/potluck you must RSVP to K7CCH@Outlook.com no later than Noon Friday June 26^th. Failure to do so may result in not having enough Hamburgers. Please put “FD 26 Potluck” in the subject line of the email.  

• 6:00PM: Operations Resume.
• 8:00PM: Officially closed to the public.

** Operations persist overnight.

Sunday June 28^th 

• 8:00AM: Officially open to the public
• 11:00AM: Operations may cease. Per rules we can only operate 24 consecutive hours due to setting up before 11:00AM Saturday. (Working on clarification)
• 12:00AM: Closed to the public to start tearing down. ALL ABLE MEMBERS NEEDED FOR THIS!
• 2:00PM: Operations cease at this time if we find we can operate past 11:00AM
• 2:00PM: Tear down and clean up! Leave the area cleaner than we found it! MAY BE MOVED TO 11:00AM IF WE CANNOT OPERATE UNTIL 2:00PM 

Links: Vital information everyone should read:

• Full ARRL Field day packet with all information below: 2026-ARRL-FD-Packet.pdf
• Field day rules: Microsoft Word – 1.61-2026 Field Day Rules 1.2.docx
• Field day locator: Field Day Station Locator
• Field day FAQ: Field Day Frequently Asked Questions:
• Field day aggregate scoring FAQ: 2026 Aggregate Club Scoring FAQ.pdf
• GOTA station FAQ: GOTA Station FAQs
• Control Operator Information: Who’s in Control of Your Field Day Station
• Safety officer checklist: 2026 FD Safety Officer.pdf
• Site responsibility checklist: 2026-Field Day Responsibilities Checklist.pdf
• Educational activity FAQ: Educational Activity Bonus FAQ
• How to succeed: How to Succeed in Field Day By Really, REALLY Trying
• Summary Sheet: 2026 Summary Sheet.pdf
• W1AW Bulletin Schedule: W1AW FIELD DAY BULLETIN SCHEDULE

What do we need club members help with before and during the event?

• Security for late Friday and Saturday Night (Must stay awake): Open
• Social Media: David Gerhart KK7WXV
• Photographer: Everyone! Please take photos and videos!
• Public Information officer/Media: Kelley Andrews W7FCM
• Safety Officer: 1. Jerry Smith KK7EGZ 2. Open
• Information/Welcome Table: 1. Bunny Upton KE7SAC 2. Open
• Educational Activity: Open
• Cook/4:30 PM Saturday: 1. Steve Humphrey KA7A 2. Open
• Satellite Operations: Open
• Digital Operations: Open
• CW Operations: Chris Hozel W7MI, Zack Larson K7FC, 
• Winlink Messages: 1. Gary McElroy N6BLU 2. Open

ARRL Bulletin: Everyone! Please look at the schedule link above and try to copy the Bulletin on Friday evening.  Best to record it!

More to come! Check back often.

Please email Gary at Info@coosradioclub.com to sign up for any of the positions above and if you have specific operating times you would like to reserve.

Your help is needed to make this year’s field day a success!