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!
The SC Midlands ARES Training Net for Thursday, March 24 will be a Zoom meeting from 8 – 9 PM. (Note the start time is 8 PM, not the normal 8:30 PM). The agenda topic will be “Sharing COMMEX Experience” from March 15, 16, and 19 as described here: 2022 State FSE- March 15, 16, 19 | SCHEART
We’ll start the call with Tuesday and Wednesday COMMEX participants. They’ll share with us the type of tasks they were involved in and what they learned.
We’ll continue the call with Saturday COMMEX participants. (Same deal) – They’ll share with us the type of tasks they were involved in and what they learned.
Hopefully, we have some time for discussion and Q and A.
Meeting ID: 864 3466 4158 Passcode: 472820 One tap mobile +19294362866,,86434664158#,,,,472820# US (New York) +13017158592,,86434664158#,,,,472820# US (Washington DC)
Dial by your location +1 929 436 2866 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 864 3466 4158 Passcode: 472820 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kJk8xTBDy
Club Business
Jimmy Doolittle Day
Spring outing at Potter Park in Elgin: Swap Meet, Meet and Greet, Training, Fox Hunt Example, Mesh Networking Example, Winlink VaraFM, Antenna tunning, and others
WHAT: Columbia Amateur Radio Club Get Radio Active class is targeted at new and old licensed Amateur Radio Operators. This is a 3-hour session with volunteer club members who will discuss and demonstrate some topics for Radio Activity to help get you started (in no particular order):
Update! Completed the battery build, this is a good bit of kit and I give it 2/5 stars for build difficulty and 4/5 stars for quality. In this build, I used 21 2400 mah 18650 batteries that will produce a max of 40ah with the battery management board. The cost of the total project not including tools less than $100.
I will have this battery and the spot welder used during the build at Ham and Eggs Breakfast on 3/19.
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/40ah-li-ion-battery-project-update-2/
Pierce Larkin, a meteorologist with NWS Columbia will be presenting “Basic Spotter Talk” on April 7th to the Columbia Amateur Radio Club Thursday, Apr 7, 2022, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM EDT. You don’t have to be a HAM to attend and/or be a Spotter. Register today and mark your calendars.
What a great way to get outdoors; a Trunkfest is an opportunity to mingle with other Amateur Radio Operators, share ideas, and reconnect with those you haven’t seen face to face in a long while. The Columbia Amateur Radio Club Spring Trunkfest is a swap meet that is free for those who want to buy, sell, swap, or trade amateur radio-related gear and items.
Welcome Amateur Radio Operators from any club to join us, we enjoy meeting fellow hams!
When: April 30th, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Location: Potters Community Park, Elgin SC 29045
For more information Contact: Jim Lathan, W4JLP Columbia Amateur Radio Club President Click to EMAIL
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/columbia-amateur-radio-club-spring-trunkfest-april-30th-pass-the-word/
Our very own Angelo AC2BC is hosting, as IEEE Section Chair, a presentation on the application of mmWaves (EHF, 30 to 300 GHz). While it obviously a bit techie, but no heavy math, or equations, it is intended for a audience of broad backgrounds. It will have radio issues of interest to many Hams. It is open to all, registration is free. The presentation will be held next Tuesday evening (3/15) at 7PM and held virtually
