[Editor's Note: For expediency in the publication of this post, much of the contents are  gently massaged versions of content from an event email sent to members of the official ARA email list (edits are bracketed and/or in italics; thanks, Joe!)]:

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Winter Field Day 2026

Team ARA!

Cold enough for ya?

Winter Field Day (WFD) is just around the corner and the ARA will be participating from the amphitheater parking lot at Hagerstown Community College the weekend of January 24-25!  We'll have Nelson's (KA2C) CW trailer and the Washington County EMCOMM trailer (both with excellent heaters!) as our operating stations for CW, Phone, and Digital.  We are also planning on doing satellite operations over the weekend!

Setup will be Friday (1/23) from 1-5PM.  WFD is now a 30 hour exercise running from 11 AM on Saturday through 5 PM Sunday.  We hope to get on the air on-schedule Saturday but we will probably knock-it-off early Sunday afternoon.

Please reply to me if you'd like to participate [my email address is maguirejb@gmail.com]. Our current WFD Team is Nelson (KA2C), Steve (WA8EIH), Tim (KC3OCQ), Nathan (KK7HUF), Kevin (W3QD), Bob (AC3PN), Kristin (KC3VCD), Michael (N3WSP), Rich (KC2EFA), Cliff (W3KKO), and Joe (WA1ZZQ).

For more information, check out the WFD website at:  https://winterfieldday.org/  (We plan on meeting all objectives except QRP and 12 Band operations.)

73!

Joe (WA1ZZQ)

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------

We plan to talk about WFD again during the business meeting January 6th, 2026 and the 20th. We are hopeful for a a large, interesting turnout to these meetings, and the to WFD itself!