[OKDXA] New Field Day Rules

[Jeff Martin]

Some New Rules Going into Effect this Year for ARRL Field Day
02/09/2022
After taking a few detours over the past couple of years due to the COVID-19
pandemic, ARRL Field Day rules are being updated on a permanent basis
starting this summer. ARRL conducted a Field Day community survey with
invitations propagated far and wide, and direct emails sent to more than
15,000 individuals and ARRL-affiliated clubs. After sorting through,
reviewing, and discussing the survey results, the ARRL Programs and Services
Committee recommended a number of rule changes for ARRL Field Day, which
will take place this year over the June 25 - 26 weekend.

Starting this year, the maximum PEP output for a transmitter used by anyone
submitting a Field Day log will be 100 W. The power multiplier of 2 will
remain in place, and the high-power category will be removed from the rules.
Until this year, the maximum low-power limit had been 150 W for most
ARRL-sponsored operating events. The power multiplier will remain at 5 for
QRP participants running a maximum of 5 W or less. As previously announced,
100 W is now the low-power category limit for all ARRL and IARU HF Contests,
effective January 1, 2022.

A couple of changes instituted initially as accommodations for the COVID-19
pandemic will remain. Class D (Home) stations will continue to be able to
earn points for contacts with other Class D stations. The club aggregate
scoring change initiated in 2020 as a temporary measure will become part of
the permanent rules. In the aggregate scoring plan, the scores of individual
stations are combined under the score of a single club.

Another change, involving Rule 7.3.2 Media Publicity, has been modified.
Rules to date have offered 100 bonus points for attempting to obtain
publicity and demonstrating same. With the ease of posting via Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram, and various other media websites, Field Day participants
will now be required to obtain publicity, not just try to do so. Any
combination of bona fide media hits would qualify for the bonus points. For
example, posting the details of your upcoming or ongoing Field Day activity,
or your Field Day results, on a club or news media site, on Facebook, or via
Twitter and Instagram would meet the bonus criteria. Photos and videos are
encouraged as part of media posts.