Field Day Station

The image depicts a typical field day station, utilising a combination of commercial and home brew equipment.
The field day station is designed for portable communication to other amateurs in readiness for an emergency event.
A “Field Day” is a contest especially for portable stations. Amateurs competing in Field Days find a good location, usually on a hilltop, and often camp out overnight. Apart from having fun, Field Days are the ideal opportunity to check out your equipment in the field and to experiment with light weight, easily transportable equipment and antennas.

Amateur radio is intended to facilitate hobby radiocommunications

Types of licences

  • Amateur radio activities are authorised under an amateur licence. Other forms of licences authorise types of radiocommunications such as Citizens Band (CB), Land mobile, Point to Point Links and Broadcasting.
  • The Amateur Service operates on frequency bands allocated for Amateur use. The Amateur Service shares some frequency bands with other services.

Allocation of frequency bands

Services such as the broadcasting, aeronautical and maritime services are allocated frequency bands appropriate to their purpose.
Click on the image above to access the latest amateur radio band plans.

Rules

  • All radio amateurs must have a licence to transmit.
  • Amateurs must not operate outside the allocated bands.
  • Amateur operators must not operate on bands allocated for other purposes.
  • The Licence Conditions Determination (LCD) indicate the bands allocated for amateur operation – use the LCD to look up a Foundation Licence frequency allocation

Amateur Band Plans

  • Amateur band plans help amateurs make best use of the frequency spectrum and provide for better on air operating.
  • The band plans are an agreed position between amateurs and the WIA.
  • Band plans can be found in the Foundation Licence manual and on the WIA web site.

Note 1: Digital Data Modes

This category includes all data modes using FSK, MFSK, PSK or other digital modulation systems.

Note 2: Other Modes in the SSB Segments

The SSB segments are also used for digital voice modes and image transmission modes such as SSTV or Fax, using bandwidths up to 4 kHz, or for AM voice. AM is not a recommended mode on the HF bands because of its bandwidth, but it is fully legal and is used on several bands.