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[2026-06-06] Field Day 2026 is rapidly approaching, followed by the Radio Amateurs of Canada Canada Day Contest. Field Day is a continental-wide emergency preparedness operation for the amateur radio service in North America (although other countries can check in for a DX contact). Hyperlinks to both operations, masked as contests, are set out above with the two logos.
Traditionally, participation in Field Day has been limited by Society members. They have work or are traveling or are availing themselves of the summer (4 months here and then 8 months of winter).
This year our participation in Field Day will be a bit unconventional, not aimed at point scores, but rather aimed at performing certain activities including message handling, QRP operation, copying the Field Day general messages and testing out new batteries, solar panels and the like. Message handling in particular will be something we will be promoting in order to achieve points, allow others to rack them up and to gain greater proficiency in that. Some new (or used) equipment might be tested. Generally we will likely operate as a 1A or 2A NT station.
To recap:
- June 27-28 (11 AM to 11 AM)
- Yellowknife Sandpits
- Field Day 2026
Our organizing of the event is starting with a military-style approach of issuing a warning order and then an operations order. These are in set formats that are well-known. There will then be an after-action report. There will be an emphasis on paperwork - possibly the record forming the basis for an SOP. Message traffic will be encoded as per the standard RAC Radiogramme.
Those members wanting to participate, please let Ian Rennie (VE8IR) know. This is also a chance to experiment with novel antennas, home-built equipment and new technologies. We may or may not have a Whisper beacon running. As always we will be monitoring the local repeater. Visitors are welcome and so are youth. One need not have a licence to participate. Please not the documents will be uploaded and linked.
- Warning Order for Field Day 2026 (WRNO 26-01)
- Operations Order for Field Day 2026 (OPORD 26-01)
- OPORD 26-01
- Annex A - Site Layout
- Annex B - Equipment Checklist
- Annex C - Shift Schedule
- Annex D - Emergency Contacts
- Annex E - Emergency Procedures Flowchart
- Annex F - Antenna Details
- Annex G - Repeater Information (Yellowknife)
- Annex H - Safety Plan
- Operational Amateur Satellite details are at: https://www.amsat.org/status/ (confirmed). The full listing is at: https://www.amsat.org/amateur-satellite-index .
- Logging - N1MM+ logger is at: https://n1mmwp.hamdocs.com/ . Possibly FDLog Software (https://www.fdlog.us/home) but we are still learning how to compile and set up programs in Python. We used to use SQUIRL (https://www.qsl.net/kc8opv/squirl-fd/ ) but it is no longer supported and out of date (last updated in 2013). N1MM+ and FDLog are free and recommended by the ARRL.