Winter Field Day: Rules, Dates and How to Prepare

Summer has Field Day, and January has its colder, quieter and more demanding cousin. Winter Field Day is an annual amateur radio event in which operators set up portable stations in the middle of winter, work other stations around the world and practise emergency communications in conditions that make everything harder. This guide explains when it is held, what the main rules and limits are, why some popular digital modes are not allowed, and how to prepare yourself and your equipment for the cold. The facts come from the organisers’ own pages, and you should always read the current rules before you take part.

What Winter Field Day Is

According to the Winter Field Day Association home page, Winter Field Day is an annual event that offers radio operators the chance to set up field operations in remote locations and connect with other participants worldwide. You can take part alone or bring friends, family or your whole club. The association believes that radio amateurs should practise portable emergency communications in winter environments, because freezing temperatures, snow, ice and other hazards create special operating problems. The aim is to help participants improve their preparedness for disasters and their operating skills under adverse conditions.

Operators may use the HF, VHF or UHF bands and may use voice, CW and digital transmissions. The event sets specific objectives to encourage a wide range of activities, such as using non-commercial power sources, deploying multiple antennas and making satellite contacts. In other words, the event is a practical exercise rather than a pure points race, and the organisers say it is not about how many contacts you make or the points at the end of the day. It is about whether you can successfully relay emergency information in adverse conditions.

A Short History

The history page explains that in 2006 an operator asked whether the Society for the Preservation of Amateur Radio, known as SPAR, would sponsor a winter operating event. The society’s board approved the idea, and the first Winter Field Day took place on 13 and 14 January 2007. Based on comments from participants, it soon became an annual event. In late 2015, a group of enthusiasts formed the Winter Field Day Association, which took over the responsibility for the event and has promoted it since then. The association reports that it processed more than 2,500 logs from stations around the world in 2022. The principle has not changed since the first event: preparedness is the key to a professional and timely response, and your skills should not be limited to fair-weather conditions.

Dates and Hours

Winter Field Day takes place in late January. The home page gives the dates for the next event as 23 and 24 January 2027 and calls it the fourth full weekend of January, while the resources page describes it as the last full weekend of January. Because these descriptions differ, always check the date on the official site for the year in which you plan to take part, and write it in your calendar. The resources page says the event begins at 16:00 UTC on Saturday and runs through 21:59 UTC on Sunday, which is a little over a full day of operating. Convert that to your local time, because the event is global and the UTC clock decides the start and end.

Bands and Modes

Participants can operate on the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 metre HF bands and on all bands above 50 MHz. The WARC bands and 60 metres are not on that list, so do not plan to use them. Modes include voice, CW and digital, but with one important limit that surprises many newcomers.

FT8 and similar modes are not allowed. The organisers explain in their FAQ that the objectives are built around making sure that the event remains an exercise in emergency communications. Although FT8, FT4, JT9 and similar modes are legitimate digital modes, the organisers say that they cannot pass emergency traffic effectively. Their reasoning is that the event is about whether you can relay emergency information back and forth in adverse conditions, not about how many contacts you make. They encourage participants to use their digital skills to practise passing information with other digital methods. In a blog post of October 2026, the organisers also announced that a new mode in the latest WSJT-X release candidate, called JTTY, is capable of passing emergency traffic, so it is allowed for the 2027 event. If you want a flexible keyboard mode, our guide to JS8Call and the Fldigi setup guide explain two options that fit the spirit of the exercise, but check the current rules for each mode before you decide.

One Call Sign, One Location

The rules around logs are strict and are explained in the organisers’ FAQ. Unlike some other field events, individual operators cannot add together scores earned from different locations to give a club a combined score. The log you submit must cover only one call sign, and it must be the call sign you used during the event. All equipment and operators using the same call sign must be within the same 300 metre radius. If your club has several operators at one site, they share one call sign and one log. If your members operate from their homes, each person submits a separate log under their own call sign.

The same FAQ explains that the category you choose is discretionary and that there is no penalty for choosing the wrong one. The organisers ask you to follow the general guidelines and the spirit of the event. They give a useful example: if you operate from a communications trailer that is within walking distance of a club member’s house, where there is heat, running water and a couch, you should not call yourself an outdoor station. A trailer in a parking lot with nothing around it is a different matter. The principle is honesty about your conditions, since the exercise is only useful if you really test yourself.

The Bulletin and the Multiplier

An unusual feature of the event is the Winter Field Day bulletin. The organisers transmit it, and participants who copy it accurately and submit it with their entry can claim a multiplier. The FAQ says that if you cannot hear the bulletin, you may ask another station to send it to you, as long as you receive it entirely over amateur radio. The bulletin is sent in a digital mode, and one board member has written a guide to installing and configuring Fldigi to decode it. The bulletin schedule is published on the official site and in downloadable form. As with all the details in this article, use the current year’s schedule, since times and modes can change.

Logging and Submitting Your Entry

Use a logging program that supports the event. The resources page lists several options, among them N3FJP’s Winter Field Day contest log, a World Radio League web logger, Ham2K Portable Logger, HAMRS and N1MM Logger Plus, as well as DXLog. If you already use a contest program, see our guide to setting up N1MM Logger+ for your first contest. Pay attention to the section list and the section map that the organisers publish, because the exchange uses sections. They note recent changes, such as a new Canadian section, so always check the current list.

Logs are due by 11:59 UTC on 1 March, according to the resources page, and late entries may not be included in the results. If you discover an error after submitting, you can submit the log again and the new one will overwrite the old one, until the deadline. After the deadline, the submission page closes and all logs become final.

Preparing for the Cold

The event is about winter conditions, so most of the preparation is about people and equipment in the cold. The following list covers the issues that cause the most problems.

• Dress in layers. You will sit still for hours, which makes you colder than when you are moving. Wear insulated boots, a hat and gloves that allow you to handle small controls. Thin gloves with a warmer outer layer are popular for key and keyboard work.
• Keep batteries warm. Cold reduces the available capacity of most batteries, so keep them in an insulated box or inside your coat until they are needed. Our guide to battery and power options for portable operation explains how to size a battery, and the same sizing logic applies in winter with a generous margin.
• Protect electronics from condensation. Moving a cold radio into a warm room can cause moisture to form inside. Allow the equipment to reach room temperature slowly, and keep it in a bag when you move it.
• Use cables that stay flexible. Some cables stiffen in cold weather, and connectors can crack. Handle them carefully and check them before you start.
• Plan for ice and snow on antennas. Wet snow and ice add weight, change tuning and can bring down wires. Use sturdy supports, and check the guying of masts regularly.
• Bring a heat source and hot drinks. If you operate inside a tent, a shelter or a vehicle, follow safe heating practices and ensure ventilation. Carbon monoxide is a serious hazard in enclosed spaces.
• Tell someone where you are. If you operate in a remote location, share your plan and your expected return time.

Event Comparison

The ARRL’s own event is described on the ARRL Field Day page, and we cover it in our guide to field day planning and power. The two events share some skills, but their rules and exchange are different, so do not assume that what you learned in one will carry over to the other.

Practical Tips for a First Entry

Start small. A single operator with a simple station in a car or a garage can take part, and the event is a useful test of your portable setup. Choose a site that you can reach easily and that gives you a sense of the conditions without too much risk. Test your antenna, feed line and power source at home before you go. Practise the digital mode you plan to use and make sure the logging program works. Bring a paper log as a backup, and write down your set-up so you can improve it next year.

Above all, treat it as practice. If something fails, you have learned something useful, and that is the purpose of the event. Many participants report that the best part of the weekend is the lessons they take away, such as the realisation that their favourite coax is too stiff in the cold or that their battery needs a better box.

The Bottom Line

Winter Field Day is a late January event that tests how well you can operate portable emergency communications in the cold. It runs from 16:00 UTC on Saturday to 21:59 UTC on Sunday, uses the 160 to 10 metre HF bands and the bands above 50 MHz, excludes FT8 and similar modes, and requires one call sign and one location per log. Check the current dates and rules on the organisers’ site, prepare your people and your batteries for the cold, and use the weekend to learn what works in your station and what does not.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Winter Field Day?

It is held in late January. The organisers list 23 and 24 January 2027 for the next event, starting at 16:00 UTC on Saturday and ending at 21:59 UTC on Sunday. Always confirm the date on the official site.

Which bands can I use?

The resources page lists the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 metre HF bands and all bands above 50 MHz. You may use voice, CW and digital modes within the rules.

Why is FT8 not allowed?

The organisers say that the event is an exercise in emergency communications and that FT8 and similar modes cannot pass emergency traffic effectively. They encourage participants to practise other digital methods instead.

Can I add scores from several locations for my club?

No. Each log must cover one call sign, and everyone using that call sign must be within a 300 metre radius. Operators at different locations submit separate logs under their own call signs.

When must I submit my log?

The resources page says that logs are due before 11:59 UTC on 1 March. You can resubmit until then, and a new log overwrites the old one. After the deadline, the logs are final.

Do I need a lot of equipment to take part?

No. You can take part with a simple portable station, even from a car, and you can operate alone. The aim is to practise, so a small setup that you understand well is better than a large one that you have not tested.