ARRL Field day will be held June 27-28, 2020. Each year thousands of ham radio operators take to the fields and prairies and parks to set up their equipment "off-grid" and working as a team simulate emergency operations for practice. For 24 hours we contact as many other teams as we can.
However, not this year.
Normally we work in rather close proximity with one another which, in the time of COVID-19 social distancing, makes sharing microphones communicating through masks, setting up equipment and operating side by side difficult.
This year we will try something different. DON'T go to Badger Prairie Park. We won't be there. Each one of us will be operating in our home radio shacks. We will however try to support one another as a team.
Operators: if you are using N3FJP's Field Day Logging software, please be sure to download the latest version which has been updated with the rule changes for 2020. Check out the changes here. The software will count points when class D stations contact class D stations, which under normal Field Day rules is not allowed, and it will allow clubs to work together virtually in that you can designate your club's name on your record. We will use the name of the club as the ARRL auto fill indicates "Four Lakes ARC" (without the quotes).
We've also decided to initiate a 24 hour Zoom meeting during the event. Check in and check out as you like and share how it is going for you. The public is invited to check in to our zoom space and ask questions as well.
To mitigate the risk of Zoom bombing (see here for an example from this week) we will be requiring registration to this meeting. Before we grant access we will be checking call signs and emails. We welcome non-hams to sign on and observe and ask questions as well. Please use the chat function and we will respond to questions or take you out to a breakout room for questions. Please pre-register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUpd-CoqjIqH9JOqt8nrmmqE9oOsbtCy5xH
We expect to start the meeting space at about 12:30 on Saturday afternoon, June 27 and run for the full 24 hours.
Please check back as we firm up further plans.