Ham Radio Field Day Kit
A portable amateur-radio station for a field day or POTA/SOTA activation: a radio, antenna and feedline, portable power, logging, and the support gear to operate for hours away from the grid.
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- Items
- 16 required · 10 optional
- Est. cost
- $300–$1500
- Est. weight
- 15–35 lb
- Skill level
- Advanced
- Budget
- Moderate
- Container
- Gear duffel
About this kit
Set up and run a temporary amateur-radio station in the field — get an antenna up, power the rig, make contacts, and log them, comfortably and safely.
It’s ARRL Field Day. You hike to a hilltop park, throw a wire antenna into a tree, set up the rig on a folding table, and operate for hours off a battery — chasing contacts, logging them, and demonstrating emergency-style operating away from any outlet.
Built on these assumptions
- One or two licensed operators running a single portable HF (or HF/VHF) station for a day-into-evening session.
- A drive-to or short-carry site — the load fits in two trips from the car, not in a summit pack.
- Battery power only: no generator, no mains, no solar array.
- You already hold the license class for the bands you plan to operate.
Not designed for
- Multi-station club Field Day sites with generators, towers, and a food tent — this is the one-operator portable core.
- Summit dashes where every ounce counts — see the SOTA / ultralight variant.
- Standing emergency-communications deployments (see the EmComm variant) — those add redundancy, go-box packaging, and served-agency procedures.
Kit contents 16 required · 10 optional
Station & antenna
The rig, the wire, and the feedline between them — antenna height beats transmit power.
- Portable ham radio×1
A portable HF/VHF transceiver; license required.
Why: The station’s core — everything else supports getting it on the air.
required - Portable antenna & mast×1
A wire antenna and a way to get it up high.
Why: Antenna height and clearance matter more than radio power.
required - Coax feedline×1
Low-loss feedline to reach the antenna.
Why: The link between rig and antenna; loss here costs contacts.
required - Paracord (550)×50 ft
A throw line to get the antenna into a tree.
Why: Getting a wire up high is the day’s first real task.
required
Power
Everything runs on what you carried in; the radio quits first if you sized it wrong.
- Portable power station×1
Sized in watt-hours against your rig’s transmit draw — a 100 W radio spends most of its day receiving, but budget for the key-down minutes.
Why: The rig outlives the session only if the battery does; a regulated 12 V source prevents the brown-outs that reset a radio mid-contact.
required - USB power bank×1
For phones and logging devices, so they never touch the rig battery.
Why: Separating small-device power protects the station budget.
required - Charging cables×1 set
Keep accessories and phones charged.
Why: Logging devices and accessories need power too.
required - Digital multimeter×1
Check battery voltage and connections.
Why: Confirming power and continuity prevents chasing phantom rig faults.
required
Operating position & logging
A stable, comfortable position keeps you on the air for hours.
- Field notebook×1
Paper log as backup to electronic logging.
Why: A paper log never crashes mid-contest.
required - required
- required
- Headlamp×1
Setup and teardown run into darkness.
Why: Field Day operates overnight; hands-free light is essential.
required - Two-way radio (FRS/GMRS)×2
Coordinate a multi-operator setup.
optional
Tools & field repairs
Feedline and connector trouble is the classic field failure.
- required
- Electrical tape×1 roll
Weatherproof connections at the antenna.
Why: Keeping moisture out of connectors preserves the signal.
required - required
- Portable soldering iron×1
Field repair a feedline or connector.
optional - Solder & flux×1
Consumables for a field solder repair.
optional - Pliers×1
Antenna hardware and connector work.
optional
Site, comfort & safety
An exposed hilltop for a whole day — treat it like any outdoor outing.
- First aid pouch×1
Outdoor scrapes and the odd RF burn.
Why: A day outdoors brings the usual minor injuries.
required - Tarp (camping)×1
Shade or rain cover over the operating position — the difference between operating and packing up early.
recommended - Water bottle (1L)×2
Long sessions without a store nearby.
recommended - Energy bars & snacks×1 box
Operate through mealtimes.
recommended - Sunscreen×1
Exposed hilltops and long days.
optional - Insect repellent×1
Wooded and grassy operating sites.
optional - Hand sanitizer×1
Before food during a long operating stretch.
optional
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Maintenance schedule
A kit you don’t maintain is a box of expired hope. Suggested cadence:
| Interval | Task |
|---|---|
| Before each outing | Charge all batteries, check the antenna and coax connectors, and update logging software. |
| After each outing | Recharge, inspect the antenna and feedline for damage, and dry anything that got wet. |
| Yearly | Replace corroded connectors and weatherproofing; test the full station end to end. |
Variations
SOTA / ultralight
A QRP radio, a light wire antenna, and a small battery — the whole station in a daypack.
Field Day base
This full setup with a bigger battery, a shade tarp, and comfortable seating for hours.
Emergency comms (EmComm)
Add redundant power, a go-box, and gear staged for rapid deployment.
Safety notes
- Transmitting on amateur bands requires an appropriate license. In a genuine emergency, any station may use any means at its disposal to call for help.
- Never raise a mast or throw an antenna line near power lines — contact is deadly. Keep antennas and feedlines clear of people and conductors.
- Mind RF exposure with transmitting antennas, keep the operating area clear during setup, and secure masts against wind.
Sources
This starter kit draws on:
- communityARRL — Field Day and portable operating
The event this kit is built around; supports the operating-format and logging guidance.
- communityARRL — station safety
Supports the antenna, electrical, and RF-exposure safety notes.
- communityParks on the Air (POTA) — activation resources
Common practice for lightweight portable activations (the SOTA/ultralight variant).
Page history & editing
Editor-reviewed2026-07-01 Last edited 2026-07-01 by human editor