Please join us for Winter Field Day (WFD) 2026 on January 24th and/or 25th at the K3MMM family farm outside of Emmitsburg. While we’ll have some ready to go stations, feel free to bring your own gear including radios and antennas – we can fill in whatever blanks you may not have. The goal of WFD is Emergency Communications (EMCOMM) practice/training.
Couple of things:
- Feel free to bring your own gear to try – we have plenty of space. Or you can visit and use one of our radios.
- We expect to operate using only batteries and solar power. Granted, we may have a generator on hand, just in case. We’ll have some spare batteries available with Anderson PowerPole connections, and can adapt to virtually any radio.
- You do NOT need any particular level of amateur license (or to be licensed at all), as we can act as control operators while you operate. This is a very friendly opportunity to give HF radio a try, with your only investment being a road-trip to Emmitsburg!
- Winter Field Day runs from 11am Saturday January 24th until 4:59pm Sunday January 25th. We’ll be on site from early-morning Saturday until Sunday afternoon, although there’s a good chance that we’ll pause in the wee hours, as we’re not as young as we once were.
- Official farm address is 17247 Annandale Rd, Emmitsburg. I’ll put the FARC banner at the end of the driveway – but your GPS will get you to the right spot. Our operating spot is: ///soak.disappeared.safety
- Because it’s winter, and the weather is not certain, we’ll either set up in the back field equipment shed, which boasts nearby tall trees and wide open spaces, warmed by a wood stove. Or in the top of the barn, which while unheated, features a roof and walls. If weather is really uncooperative, we can always end up in the farmhouse living room.
- We expect to operate on most amateur bands, using phone, CW & permissible digital modes.
- If you can’t join us, please try and work us!
- Be SURE to check back periodically for updates as the date draws closer. It’s winter and the weather plays a significant role in some decisions. Please check back here periodically for updates.
- Find official Winter Field Day documentation here: https://winterfieldday.org/
- We are extremely pet-friendly. Bring your horse, hound, heron, or hare, or anything in between. So long as it coexists with others, it’s fine and welcome.
- Since we’re not super-competitive, I’m thinking that we’ll operate as 4Oscar – up to four simultaneous radios, operating outdoors. So, our exchange will be K3ERM 4 Oscar Mike Delta Charlie (MDC ARRL section).
- I’m hoping to have a semi-dedicated peer-to-peer Winlink station configured. During the first several hours, it’ll be on 145.09 for local-ish contacts. After dark, we’ll move it to HF.
- If you have even a hint of mic fright, this type of event is the PERFECT solution, as the exchange is basic and predictable.
- If you have a headset, consider bringing it along, as it can be much easier to hear with background noise.
- There are several new “multiplier” objectives, many of which we should be able to accomplish.
- We expect to use “alternative power” for radios, which means batteries and solar.
- We’ll use 146.58 for talk-in. It may seem that you’re way off course as you go back the driveway – but just turn left as you pass the barn, and follow the obvious tracks.
If you have ANY questions, send me a note using my call sign @arrl.net. We hope to see you there!
Mike K3MMM
Farm site plan for parking and operating locations (the weather will really dictate parking):
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