Humboldt Amateur Radio Club Hosts Winter Field Day at Redwood Acres Today

The Humboldt Amateur Radio Club is participating this weekend in Winter Field Day Association’s annual Winter Field Day exercise, with operations set up at the Redwood Acres Fairgrounds.

Winter Field Day began Saturday, January 24, and continues today, Sunday, January 25, through 2 p.m. The public is welcome to stop by and observe operations, speak with local amateur radio operators, and learn how ham radio can be used when conventional communications infrastructure is damaged or unavailable during natural disasters and other emergencies.

Winter Field Day is a worldwide emergency communications exercise held each year during the last full weekend of January. Unlike a contest, the event is designed as a practical field exercise that challenges amateur radio operators to set up and operate stations away from home under winter conditions, which can include cold temperatures, limited daylight, and other environmental hazards. Operators practice portable communications using HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies with voice, Morse code, and digital modes.

The Humboldt Amateur Radio Club arranged for overnight use of the fairgrounds and has deployed its mobile communications trailer along with additional stations for the exercise. Club members are operating alongside amateur radio operators across the globe, testing skills such as operating on emergency power, deploying antennas, and maintaining communications in less-than-ideal conditions.

Organizers note that Winter Field Day helps strengthen disaster readiness by encouraging hands-on practice in realistic environments. Visitors are encouraged to stop by today before the event concludes at 2 p.m.