ARRL Field Day: Is it a Contest or Not? The Contest Crew Opines

The Contest Crew agrees that it is not officially a contest, but as Randy K5ZD likes to say, "if there is stack ranking, it sure looks like a contest!"

Field Day takes place every year on the fourth full weekend of June, and in 2024 that's June 22-23. Randy K5ZD, along with Chris KL9A and Bill W9KKN, discuss the long-standing tradition of Field Day, sharing their personal experiences and offering tips on how best to enjoy this non-contest event. They also talk about the fun and camaraderie, not to mention the great food.

Join us for this light-hearted discussion about setting up radio gear, towers, and antennas in nature, all in the spirit of camaraderie and a bit of (quiet) competition.

Listen to the end for a bonus track by N2NT.

 

An annual question for an annual event.

https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/arrl-field-day-not-a-contest.853765/

https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/field-day-question.819800/https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/field-day-question.819800/

 

If nobody uses an end fed antenna, it is a contest.

 

It smells like one, and that is still ok.

Why the ARRL does not say that it is a contest, still beats me.

Many of the great Contesters started on Field day. Setting up all the equipment just before it starts, takes some real skill and hard work.

 

Haha !!!!

 

During Field Day you have the option to just get on the air and make contacts for fun or operate as a contest, running up points. Either way is fine.

 

Depends on the group. Back in the early 90's, the San Jose State University Radio Club (W6YL) was desperate to finish in the top ten in class 2A. One of my best ham buddies Tim KH6N and I worked with a couple of guys from the group. When they found out Tim and I were VHF/UHF contesters and that I had a complete OSCAR satellite station, they begged us operate with them. Tim and I were not members of the club and had never taken a class at SJSU. We were clearly "hired guns".

This was back when OSCAR 13 was fully operational and OSCAR 10 was still functional. We made a ton of contacts on AO-13 and had a lot of fun. AO-13 was an awesome satellite, and I feel a little bad that current satellite operators aren't able to experience a high altitude transponder.

It was not a social event at all. We had our own tent, food, beer and generator. We didn't hang around with the other group members (although we did get a few curious ones to work some satellite contacts).

I believe they did finish in the top ten that year.

 

Field Day is a contest - if you want it to be. And it always has been.

Here's proof, from QST for June, 1933:


Note the use of the word "contest" in the last paragraph.

Note also that the emphasis on scoring, and that there is NO MENTION of "emergency communications" or similar.

Those who whine about "the original intent of Field Day" just don't know the history.

Of course Field Day is much more than a contest. It's also a social event, a training exercise, an outreach opportunity, a chance to try out different modes, bands, rigs, antennas and such under field conditions. It can be a club gathering or a solo effort or anything in between.

And it's fun!

So let us say that Field Day is a contest, but also many other things.

73 de Jim, N2EY

 

That's true of ANY contest. You don't have to send in a log, nor participate for a certain number of hours.

HOWEVER

Regardless of how you participate, it's important to give the contest exchange as required by the rules. Also important to respect that the stations you work are probably operating contest-style and don't want to have QSOs beyond the contest exchange and a 73.

This is true of ALL contests.

73 de Jim, N2EY

 

It might as well be deemed a contest because the original stated purpose of "field day" has long been forgotten and abandoned in most places by most participants. The addition of "bonus points" to enhance scores and the fact that there are "winners" in the various entry classes make it more like a contest than an emergency preparedness exercise. And if you participate don't forget to buy some of the ARRL "bling" made just for the occasion LMAO

 

To me other than some stations running on generator or battery power, lots of them are all field day stations all year long due to their compromised attic, fence, gutter, screwdriver, mag loop, End Feds etc. The only difference is that there’s more people doing the same thing!!

 

So perhaps by extensions, and referencing another thread, it could also be said, other "contests" are many things, even preparation for the OTA activities during Field Day, both with the objective of preparedness for communications contingencies.

 

Read the 1933 QST announcement of the first Field Day and you'll see the original stated purpose was....a contest!!

None of those are bad things.

 

We setup for fun. This is a great opportunity for community outreach. It is also great for new hams to experience other facets of the hobby. If someone wants to keep score that is fine too. I will not.

 

I'm bringing potato salad for the potluck. Quite honestly, the potluck aspect of FD is what I'm looking forward to. I enjoy socializing, with a bit of ham radio on the side. Ham radio is mostly a solitary hobby for me.

I'm also there because the club has only a few CW ops, and CW counts for more than phone. I'll press macro keys until my hands hurt, I suppose.

I have very little or no competitive spirit with regards to ham radio, so the contesting aspect of FD does not appeal to me at all. As a kid, I remember some of "the adults" getting very interested in the contest aspect of FD. This has stuck with me for years, and this is one of the reasons I avoided FD for years.

If my club does well, then good for them! Job well done, I suppose. I will not even look at the rankings in QST.

73, Jordan AB2T