Field Day 2026: June 27 - 28
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Proudly Presented by LMARS, Seminole County ARES, OARC, and Orange County ARES.
LMARS Field Day 2026 is shaping up to be one of the club’s biggest and most exciting events yet — and everyone is invited to join the fun, whether you’re a seasoned contester, a brand-new ham, a curious Scout, or someone who just wants to see what amateur radio is all about. From emergency communications and satellite contacts to late-night ragchews and potluck dinners, this year’s event promises a full weekend of radio, fellowship, learning, and good old-fashioned “getting on the air.”
Field Day is amateur radio’s open house, emergency exercise, campout, technical challenge, and social gathering all rolled into one. If you have never experienced the sound of radios humming through the night while operators chase contacts across the country on generator power under a Florida sky — this is your year.
Event Information
- Event Dates: June 27–28, 2026
- Setup Date: Friday, June 26, 2026
- Location: Central Winds Park :
- Central Winds Park in Winter Springs.
- Click here for the exact GPS location...
A fine tradition in amateur radio. Right up there with coffee-stained log sheets and someone asking, “Did anybody bring the coax adapter?”
What to Expect
LMARS will once again transform the park into a fully operational emergency-style communications site complete with operating trailers, antennas, portable power, digital modes, satellite operations, and hands-on activities for visitors and Scouts.
Planned activities include:
- HF voice operations on multiple bands
- CW operations
- Digital modes
- Satellite demonstrations
- GOTA (Get On The Air) station for new operators
- Scout participation and radio merit badge activities
- Potluck dinner Saturday evening
- Overnight operating
- Public demonstrations and outreach
Whether you want to operate for five minutes or five hours, there will be a place for you at Field Day.
Tentative Schedule
- Friday – June 26 Into Saturday June 27
The setup crew rolls into action as trailers are transported and antennas begin rising across the field.
- Trailer transport and positioning
- Antenna assembly
- Initial station setup
- Generator prep and logistics
- By Saturday morning, the site will start looking like a miniature emergency communications village.
Saturday – June 27:
Saturday is where the magic really begins.
Morning setup teams will finalize stations while operators prepare equipment, logging software, radios, and antennas for the official start of operations.
Once the radios come alive, operators will spend the day making contacts across the country while introducing visitors and new hams to the hobby.
Highlights include:
- Operating demonstrations
- GOTA station activities
- Satellite contacts
- Club fellowship
- Potluck dinner
- Evening and overnight operations
- The Saturday evening potluck is always one of the best parts of Field Day. LMARS members are encouraged to bring a side dish, dessert, or favorite camp-style creation. (“Mystery crockpot chili” is considered both a tradition and a calculated risk.)
Sunday – June 28:
The overnight operators hand things off to the morning crew for what many affectionately call the “Third Wind Shift.
Sunday activities include:
- Morning operations
- Final contact push
- Public demonstrations
- Site cleanup and teardown
- Event teardown becomes part of the camaraderie. Many hands make light work — especially when motivated by leftover desserts.
Featured Stations:
LMARS plans to field several exciting operating positions this year:
CW Trailer The CW team will focus on traditional Morse code operations. Fast hands, sharp ears, and plenty of dits and dahs expected.
HF Voice Operations Multiple bands will be active throughout the weekend, including 20M and 40M operations coordinated by experienced operators and station captains.
Digital Station Digital operations will demonstrate modern amateur radio communications and computer-assisted operating modes.
Satellite Station Dennis Veselka will lead satellite demonstrations, showing visitors how amateur radio operators can literally bounce signals through space.
GOTA / Scout Station Ken Lyons will coordinate the Get On The Air station focused on helping new operators, Scouts, and curious visitors experience amateur radio firsthand. This is often where future hams catch the bug.
Food, Fellowship, and Fun...
Field Day is about much more than radios.
It’s about:
- sharing knowledge,
- mentoring new operators,
- building friendships,
- testing emergency readiness,
- and enjoying the hobby together.
Saturday evening’s potluck dinner will feature shared dishes, stories from the operating tents, and probably at least one debate about antennas that lasts longer than necessary.
Breakfast Sunday morning will be available for overnight operators and early risers before the final operating push begins.
Visitors Welcome
The LMARS Field Day site is open to:
- licensed amateur radio operators,
- newly licensed hams,
- Scouts,
- families,
- youth groups,
- and anyone interested in learning more about amateur radio.
If you’ve ever wondered:
- “How does amateur radio work?”
- “Can radios really communicate during disasters?”
- “What is HF?”
- “What’s all that beeping?”
- …then come visit.
Someone will gladly pull up a chair and let you experience it firsthand.
More Information Coming Soon
Additional information and signup opportunities will be released soon, including:
Operating schedules - Setup and teardown signups
- Potluck coordination
- Trailer setup checklists
- Operating grids
- Volunteer opportunities
- Event flyers and public outreach materials
- Field Day has always been one of amateur radio’s finest traditions — equal parts preparedness exercise, technical challenge, and community gathering. LMARS is proud to continue that tradition in 2026, and we hope to see you there.
Bring a radio. Bring a lawn chair. Bring a friend. Most importantly — bring your enthusiasm.
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