Mark your calendars! The most anticipated event in amateur radio is just around the corner. ARRL Field Day 2026 is officially set for the fourth full weekend in June: June 27–28, 2026.
Whether you are a seasoned contester, a digital mode enthusiast, or a brand-new ham looking to make your first contact, Field Day is the ultimate “open house” for our hobby. It’s part emergency exercise, part contest, and 100% community.
The 2026 Message: “Resilience Through Connection”
Every year, Field Day reminds us why we do what we do. In an era where communication is often taken for granted, the 2026 focus remains clear: Science, Skill, and Service.
The goal isn’t just to rack up points; it’s to prove that when the grid goes down, and the “normal” world goes quiet, amateur radio operators are ready. This year, we are placing a special emphasis on:
Emergency Preparedness: Testing our gear in “less-than-optimal” conditions.
Technical Growth: Experimenting with new antennas, solar power, and portable deployments.
Public Outreach: Showing our neighbors that ham radio is a modern, vital resource for the community.
Call to Action: Start Planning NOW!
A successful Field Day doesn’t happen by accident—it’s the result of teamwork and early preparation. We are calling on all club members to step up and help make 2026 our best year yet.
Here is how you can jump in right now:
Join a Committee: We need leads for Site Selection, Antenna Safety, Food/Logistics, and Public Relations.
Inventory Your Gear: Dust off those portable rigs, check your battery health, and inspect your coax. Don’t wait until June 26th to find a blown fuse!
The GOTA Station: We need “coaches” for our Get On The Air station. If you enjoy mentoring new hams or curious visitors, this is your time to shine.
Bonus Point Hunting: From satellite contacts to copying the W1AW bulletin, there are dozens of ways to boost our club score. Who wants to take the lead on the Section Manager message this year?
Event Details at a Glance:
When: June 27 (1800 UTC) to June 28 (2059 UTC)
Where: TBD – will update as soon as possible
Objective: To contact as many stations as possible and learn to operate in abnormal situations.
Let’s show the world what we can do! Check your email for the next planning meeting date, or reach out to the Club President to volunteer for a specific role.
“Did you know your smartphone can double as a powerful handheld transceiver? Whether you’re away from your shack or out of range of a local repeater, the AllStar Link network keeps you connected. This guide walks you through the essential steps to get your mobile device configured for AllStar—from obtaining your mandatory FCC documentation to…
Join W4CAE for Field Day 2026: The Year of the Club!
The Columbia Amateur Radio Club (W4CAE) invites all hams and enthusiasts to join us for ARRL Field Day 2026 at Sesquicentennial State Park! Starting June 27th at 8:00 AM, we’ll be operating through the night until noon on Sunday.
As part of the ARRL Year of the Club, we are celebrating the local groups that serve as the backbone of our hobby. Come out to the primitive camping area for portable stations, person-to-person QSOs, and on-site VE Testing.
Dinner is on us! We’ll be serving up a catered BBQ spread on Saturday evening—because great radio work deserves great food.
Stay Informed: It is crucial to join all planning calls, attend our May and June Club meetings, and join the Hams and Eggs Breakfasts. For the latest updates, keep a close watch on https://www.W4CAE.com and our Facebook page.
We have plenty of room for visiting groups and individual operators. See you there!
Every April 18, radio amateurs worldwide take to the airwaves in celebration of World Amateur Radio Day. It was on this day in 1925 that the International Amateur Radio Union was formed in Paris.
Amateur Radio experimenters were the first to discover that the short-wave spectrum — far from being a wasteland — could support worldwide propagation. In the rush to use these shorter wavelengths, Amateur Radio was “in grave danger of being pushed aside,” the IARU’s history has noted. Amateur Radio pioneers met in Paris in 1925 and created the IARU to support Amateur Radio worldwide.
Congratulations to the first group of Richland ARES members to join the Richland County Communications Emergency Response Team (CERT).
An important role for ARES is to help with emergency communications of “served agencies.” Richland County Emergency Services is certainly a served agency that we want to be able to help when the need arises. This group has completed established prerequisite requirements to work in the Richland EOC and assist with emergency communications. We look forward to learning to operate communication systems in the Richland EOC and we are exploring other opportunities to collaborate with Richland County Emergency Services.
If you are interested in joining this group, there will be additional opportunities. Please contact Mark, KN4KRZ, at goddard.mw@gmail.com.
Got a late notice from the weather team responsible for Skywarn Training that tonight’s training is canceled and will be rescheduled. They apologize but recent and current weather is keeping them busy.
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/skywarn-spotter-training-cancelled/
Even with the heavy rain, we had a surprisingly good turnout for Jimmy Doolittle Day. A special thank you goes out to Earl Dean, Dan Cunningham, Gary Anderson, Tammy Livingston, and Tedd Clayton for planning and coordinating this event. Job well done!
Cyber security is becoming more essential than ever with the growth of threats increasing each day. Prevention of a cyberattack is important, so make sure to follow these steps:
1-Use Strong Passwords
Passwords that are unique, long, and feature multiple characteristics and combinations are the most secure. Make sure you use a different password for each account.
Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio, often referred to by its acronym RaDAR, is a concept for operating an amateur radio station anywhere, anytime, and even in adverse environmental conditions. This concept supports the amateur radio service’s emergency communications mandate.
Where the concept originated
Radio amateurs from South Africa came up with a concept to build a comfortable portable radio station capable of operating for extended periods while walking or stationary after walking to a specified site.
The idea was discussed in an open forum and ideas gleaned from many of the local hams, some prototyping was done and the “Shack in a Sack” (SiaS) concept was born.
In August 2009 RaDAR – Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio, was launched – a more professional version of the SiaS concept.
