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.

Starter kit · human-reviewed draft · 3 sources listed · completeness checks passed · updated 2026-07-01

A starting point to copy and adapt — not a definitive or universally correct list. Check it against your own situation, skills, and local rules.

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×1required
A portable HF/VHF transceiver; license required.
Why: The station’s core — everything else supports getting it on the air.
Portable antenna & mast×1required
A wire antenna and a way to get it up high.
Why: Antenna height and clearance matter more than radio power.
Coax feedline×1required
Low-loss feedline to reach the antenna.
Why: The link between rig and antenna; loss here costs contacts.
Paracord (550)×50 ftrequired
A throw line to get the antenna into a tree.
Why: Getting a wire up high is the day’s first real task.

Power

Everything runs on what you carried in; the radio quits first if you sized it wrong.

Portable power station×1required
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.
USB power bank×1required
For phones and logging devices, so they never touch the rig battery.
Why: Separating small-device power protects the station budget.
Charging cables×1 setrequired
Keep accessories and phones charged.
Why: Logging devices and accessories need power too.
Digital multimeter×1required
Check battery voltage and connections.
Why: Confirming power and continuity prevents chasing phantom rig faults.

Operating position & logging

A stable, comfortable position keeps you on the air for hours.

Field notebook×1required
Paper log as backup to electronic logging.
Why: A paper log never crashes mid-contest.
Folding camp table×1required
A stable operating surface.
Why: A level bench for the rig, log, and key.
Folding camp chair×1required
You’ll be there for hours.
Why: Comfort sustains a long operating session.
Headlamp×1required
Setup and teardown run into darkness.
Why: Field Day operates overnight; hands-free light is essential.
Two-way radio (FRS/GMRS)×2optional
Coordinate a multi-operator setup.

Tools & field repairs

Feedline and connector trouble is the classic field failure.

Multi-tool×1required
Connector and antenna adjustments.
Why: Field setups always need a small fix or tweak.
Electrical tape×1 rollrequired
Weatherproof connections at the antenna.
Why: Keeping moisture out of connectors preserves the signal.
Zip ties×1 assortmentrequired
Dress cables and secure the mast.
Why: A tidy, secured setup is a reliable one.
Portable soldering iron×1optional
Field repair a feedline or connector.
Solder & flux×1optional
Consumables for a field solder repair.
Pliers×1optional
Antenna hardware and connector work.

Site, comfort & safety

An exposed hilltop for a whole day — treat it like any outdoor outing.

First aid pouch×1required
Outdoor scrapes and the odd RF burn.
Why: A day outdoors brings the usual minor injuries.
Tarp (camping)×1recommended
Shade or rain cover over the operating position — the difference between operating and packing up early.
Water bottle (1L)×2recommended
Long sessions without a store nearby.
Energy bars & snacks×1 boxrecommended
Operate through mealtimes.
Sunscreen×1optional
Exposed hilltops and long days.
Insect repellent×1optional
Wooded and grassy operating sites.
Hand sanitizer×1optional
Before food during a long operating stretch.

Make this kit yours — copy all 26 items into an editable kit.

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 guide 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

Revision status: approved Last edited 2026-07-01 by human editor