Come join the Paso Robles Amateur Radio Club for ARRL Field Day June 27th - 28th 2026 and learn what HAM radio is all about. We will be operating as W6R (2A Santa Barbara Section) in the vacant field to the west of the Estrella Warbirds Museum located at: 4251 Dry Creek Rd, Paso Robles, CA 93446. Look for the antennas and signs.
This year’s theme: “Amateur Radio: A National Resource”
During operation, there will be the same rapid message handling done in real emergencies, with visitors getting the opportunity to participate under supervision of licensed radio operators.
See our gallery from PRARC’s 2024 Field Day.
Who May Participate
Members of the general public, all radio amateurs, scouts, and their friends and families are welcome to participate. You don’t need a radio license to participate, as you can operate with one of the club’s licensed operators supervising.
Ham Radio Camp
Starting Saturday at 1:00 PM, Ham Radio Camp is open to everyone — free for all ages! Activities include:
- Fox Hunt — find the hidden transmitter
- Morse Code Simulator — try your hand at CW
- Emergency Communications demos — learn useful radio skills on a practice oscillator
- Get on the air! — supervised operation for visitors of all ages
TrunkFest — 2nd Annual
Buy, sell, and trade ham radio equipment directly from the trunk of your vehicle. TrunkFest runs alongside Field Day from Saturday 11:00 AM through Sunday 11:00 AM. Bring your gear and your wallet!
Schedule
| Date/Time | Event |
|---|---|
| Friday June 26 | |
| 11 am | Site build-up begins; safety briefing |
| 5 pm | Dinner — pizza! Sponsored by PRARC |
| 6 pm - 9 pm | System checkouts — all stations, antennas, and power |
| Saturday June 27 | |
| 9 am - 10 am | Final checks; second-day safety briefing |
| 10 am - 5 pm | Public Visiting Hours, tours, activities |
| 11 am | ARRL Field Day Begins — W6R on the air |
| 11 am | TrunkFest begins — buy, sell, trade ham radio equipment |
| 1 pm | Ham Radio Camp opens — Fox Hunt, Morse code, and more |
| 6 pm | PRARC Chef Corps outdoor chow hall opens |
| 9 pm | Ham Radio Film Fest — Contact or Frequency |
| Sunday June 28 | |
| 7 am | PRARC Chef Corps outdoor chow hall opens — fuel up! |
| 11 am | Field Day concludes; TrunkFest ends; tear-down begins |
| 3 pm | PRARC Field Day endeavor ends. 73! |
About ARRL Field Day
ARRL Field Day is a radio communications event that brings
together amateur radio operators (also called “hams”) within
your community. The theme for 2026 Field Day is “Amateur Radio:
A National Resource” – highlighting the vital role that amateur radio
plays as a resilient, independent communications resource for
communities across the country. The event is part picnic, campout, practice for
emergencies, informal contest, and most of all, fun!
ARRL Field Day is the most popular ham radio activity
held annually in the US and Canada. On the fourth
weekend in June each year, more than 31,000 hams get
together with their radio clubs, schools, or friends to
operate from remote locations.
For many radio clubs, ARRL Field Day is one of the
highlights on their annual calendar. A typical Field Day site
will show off many aspects of amateur radio and its many roles.
Some groups use Field Day as an opportunity to practice their
emergency communications readiness. 
ARRL Field Day is an annual
demonstration and invites the general public and organizations to see how amateur radio can serve in
an emergency, When All Else Fails®. Hams are well-known for their communications support in real
disaster and post-disaster situations. Despite the development of very complex, modern
communications systems — or maybe because they are so complex — ham radio has been called into
action, again and again, to provide communications in crises when it really matters.
Amateur radio also inspires the next generation of technical leaders by providing a hands-on sandbox
where students gain experience in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
For those with a competitive spirit, Field Day stations compete to make radio contacts with as many other stations as possible while learning to operate radio equipment in challenging situations and less-than-optimal conditions. These same skills are used by hams who volunteer to help with large, preplanned, non-emergency events such as marathons and bike-a-thons; fundraisers such as walk-a-thons; celebrations such as parades, and exhibits at fairs, malls, and museums.
The Paso Robles Amateur Radio Club (PRARC) is made up of amateur radio enthusiasts from around the greater North SLO and South Monterey County areas. PRARC was founded in the 1940’s with a mission to spark interest in electronics, radio operations, and community service through club activities and the use of the Amateur Radio Service. Radio Amateurs have varied interests such as electronics tinkering, satellite communications, rocketry telemetry, developing new communications technologies, and helping out with public service events.
Often called “ham radio,” the Amateur Radio Service has been around for over a century. It’s grown into a worldwide community of licensed operators using the airwaves with every conceivable means of communications technology. Its people range in age from youngsters to grandparents. Even rocket scientists
and a rock star or two are in the ham ranks. Most, however, are just regular folks like you and me who enjoy learning and being able to transmit voice, data and pictures through the air to unusual places near and far,
without depending on commercial systems.
In the United States there are over 775,000 FCC-licensed amateurs, more than ever before. There is no age limit, so even youngsters enjoy learning to merge radio with their interests in computers, Bluetooth devices, Arduino, and Raspberry Pi processors, model rocketry, robotics, and drones.
For more information on the club and the event, check the Field Day information on the club web page: https://www.pasoroblesradio.net/
For information on the American Radio Relay League: http://www.arrl.org/field-day
Volunteer
Field Day doesn’t happen without team effort. Please consider signing up to help make the 2026 Field Day a success. Questions and sign-ups: contact Scot Morrison, KA3DRR, Field Day Chair.
