Field Day 2026
The Board reviewed the highly successful 2026 ARRL Field Day event. Dan, AI4WW, reported that the official Field Day entry has been submitted to the ARRL with a final score of 3,621 points. The Board also reviewed the successful deployment of the club’s trailer during Field Day. The trailer, made available to the Association by Dirk, proved to be an excellent asset for display, storage, and support. Kenny KE4NC commented that, with minor modifications, the trailer could accommodate an operating station for future Field Day
events.
Dirk presented the Field Day statistics and financial summary, including attendance, membership growth, food service, donations, operating results, and event finances. The Field Day Statistics and Treasurer’s Financial Report are attached to these minutes and incorporated by reference.
Click BELOW to download and print the PDF version NOTE: Meeting minutes are posted online as a draft for review until approved at the following meeting. Corrections can be sent to the Secretary, currently rickiwitte4@gmail.com.
Click BELOW to download and print the PDF version NOTE: Meeting minutes are posted online as a draft for review until approved at the following meeting. Corrections can be sent to the Secretary, currently rickiwitte4@gmail.com.
GCARA May Meeting Recap and June 23 Field Day Preparations
What a wonderful evening! Thank you to everyone who attended our May meeting. The turnout was outstanding, resulting in one of the best-attended meetings we have had in recent memory. Seeing a packed room filled with members, guests, and new faces made for a truly special evening.
A packed house for our May GCARA meeting at Broward Health North.
A very special thank you goes to Shirley Ritchie, N4JKI, who shared a fascinating and heartfelt presentation about the life and legacy of her late husband, Chuck Ritchie, W4BUG, one of the founders of the Gold Coast Amateur Radio Association. Through photographs, memories, and personal stories, Shirley gave us all a deeper appreciation of Chuck’s remarkable contributions to Amateur Radio and our club. The audience response and participation showed just how much his legacy continues to inspire our members today.
Shirley Ritchie, N4JKI, sharing memories of Chuck Ritchie, W4BUG, GCARA co-founder.
We were also honored to recognize two outstanding members with Life Membership Awards. Congratulations to Alan Karden, N4ALK, and Shirley Ritchie, N4JKI. Special thanks to Melanie Fernandez, KJ4VCT, for presenting the awards and helping make the ceremony so meaningful.
Life Member recognition presented by Melanie Fernandez, KJ4VCT.
The evening also included FCC license testing. We are pleased to welcome two newly licensed Amateur Radio operators who have already joined GCARA as members and are awaiting the issuance of their new call signs. Congratulations as well to Aurora Figueiredo, WD4AGF, on successfully upgrading to General Class.
Special thanks go to our Volunteer Examiner Team: Alan Karden, N4ALK, Jeff Stahl, K4BH, and Jerry Deitch, W4LST, whose dedication helps bring new operators into our hobby and supports advancement within Amateur Radio.
Many thanks to Jim Schwantes, KJ4GJB, and Diane Schwantes of HamReady for attending the meeting and presenting samples of our new club apparel and merchandise. The shirts were very well received, and their continued support of Amateur Radio and GCARA is greatly appreciated.
We would also like to thank Ricky Eaton, KD4HGR, for stepping in on short notice to chair the meeting. Due to a severe case of laryngitis, President Ben Echavarria, N7BBE, was unable to fully participate in the program and remained largely in the background throughout the evening. Thanks to Ricky’s leadership, the meeting ran smoothly and successfully.
Another exciting milestone was reached as GCARA officially took possession of its new club trailer, generously provided by Dirk Basting, N4AN, just in time for Field Day preparations. The trailer will provide much-needed storage and transportation capability for club equipment and activities.
Special thanks to Kenny Hollenbeck, KE4NC, for providing parking space for the trailer and for helping coordinate its placement and storage.
GCARA’s new trailer, ready to support Field Day and future club activities.
Field Day preparations are already well underway. We are pleased to announce that Kenny Hollenbeck, KE4NC, has volunteered to serve as Field Day Chair, helping coordinate this year’s activities and operations.
A special thank you also goes to Jean-Marie Basting and Cara Jackson, who have generously volunteered to lead our culinary team and will be working the grill throughout the event.
Our hospitality team continues to grow. Ricki Witte, KJ4FSJ, will once again contribute her famous chili, while Leonardo Baldi, K4ITA, has generously offered to provide his outstanding Italian pizza for Saturday evening dinner.
Thanks to these volunteers and many others working behind the scenes, this year’s Field Day is shaping up to be one of the best in GCARA history. If you would like to help with setup, operating, logging, hospitality, antenna installation, teardown, or any other aspect of Field Day, please contact Kenny Hollenbeck, KE4NC. Additional volunteers are always welcome.
We would also like to express our sincere appreciation to Broward Health North. Despite an unusually high demand for conference facilities, the hospital staff graciously made two conference rooms available on short notice, allowing us to accommodate the large turnout and ensuring the success of the evening. Their continued support of GCARA is greatly appreciated.
We would also like to thank Carol Sjursen, KJ4AWB, for taking and sharing the excellent photographs from the meeting. Her photos beautifully captured the spirit of the evening and helped preserve memories of a truly special event.
A special thank you also goes to our Public Information Officer, Tom Savoca, K9TJS, for creating an outstanding Facebook story featuring many additional photographs and highlights from the meeting. His efforts allowed members and friends to relive the evening and helped showcase the activities and fellowship that make GCARA such a special organization.
Looking Ahead – June 23 Meeting
Field Day is almost here!
Join us on Tuesday, June 23rd, as we make our final preparations for ARRL Field Day 2026. This meeting will cover last-minute planning, operating schedules, station setup, logistics, hospitality, and opportunities for members to participate in one of Amateur Radio’s biggest annual events.
We are also pleased to welcome Mike Sams, KF4ZW, who will present:
Introduction to AllStar
Mike will provide an overview of the rapidly growing AllStar network, explaining how Amateur Radio operators can connect repeaters and stations around the world using AllStar technology. Whether you are completely new to AllStar or interested in expanding your operating capabilities, this presentation will be an excellent introduction to the system and its many possibilities.
We hope to see everyone on June 23rd for an informative evening as we make the final preparations for what promises to be another outstanding GCARA Field Day.73,
Dirk Basting, N4AN
Treasurer
Gold Coast Amateur Radio Association
W4BUG.ORG
Click BELOW to download and print the PDF version NOTE: Meeting minutes are posted online as a draft for review until approved at the following meeting. Corrections can be sent to the Secretary@w4bug.org
Click BELOW to download and print the PDF version NOTE: Meeting minutes are posted online as a draft for review until approved at the following meeting. Corrections can be sent to the Secretary, currently rickiwitte4@gmail.com.
Short answer: No — Amateur Radio is not in a broad decline. Current FCC license data shows more than 734,000 active amateur radio licenses in the United States, which remains a very large and active community. While participation styles have changed over the years, there is no evidence of a collapse in the hobby. The focus has simply shifted as technology and operating interests evolve. (ARRL)
📡 What the data shows
U.S. amateur radio license numbers remain strong at roughly 734,000 active licenses in 2026, showing that Amateur Radio continues to maintain a substantial operator base nationwide. Worldwide participation is still commonly estimated in the millions, and activity levels continue to move with solar conditions, contest seasons, DX activity, emergency events, and operating preferences. What many people see is not a decline, but a change in how operators participate. (ARRL)
📈 Where growth is happening
- Digital modes such as FT8, FT4, JS8Call, VARA, and Winlink continue to attract operators.
- Software Defined Radio (SDR), satellite operations, portable operating, Parks on the Air (POTA), and experimentation remain popular entry points.
- Emergency communications, preparedness groups, ARES participation, and public service events continue bringing in new licensees.
- Youth outreach, STEM programs, maker communities, and classroom projects are helping introduce Amateur Radio to younger audiences.
📉 Why some people think the hobby is shrinking
The perception usually comes from changes in activity rather than fewer operators:
- Some local clubs have smaller in-person attendance than in past decades.
- Traditional HF voice communities tend to have older demographics.
- Many operators have shifted from long ragchews to digital contacts, portable operations, or online coordination.
- Fewer brick-and-mortar ham stores make the hobby seem quieter than it was in the 1980s and 1990s.
- More activity now happens through digital systems, SDRs, remote stations, satellites, and portable events.
🧭 Bottom line
Amateur Radio is evolving, not disappearing. License numbers remain high, technology continues to expand the hobby, and new interests such as digital modes, emergency communications, SDR, satellites, POTA, and experimentation are bringing fresh energy into the community. The hobby looks different than it did decades ago, but it remains active, relevant, and technically innovative.
Sources: FCC license data and current statistics from the ARRL license count reports. (ARRL)
Field Day is just around the corner, and we are looking forward to a fantastic weekend of amateur radio, great food, and fellowship!
Field Day Food Donation – $10 per person for both days!
Thanks to the generosity of a club member, a portion of the food expenses has already been covered, allowing us to keep the suggested donation at just $10 per person for the entire Field Day weekend, whether you attend one day or both.
Throughout the weekend, our Hospitality Team, led by Jean-Marie Basting and Cara Jackson, will be serving hamburgers, hot dogs, snacks, cold drinks, and refreshments.
On Saturday noon, Leonardo Baldi, K4ITA, will once again treat us to his delicious homemade Italian pizza, while Ricki Witte, KJ4FSJ, will be bringing her famous homemade chili — both longtime GCARA Field Day favorites.
LET US KNOW IF YOU WANT TO HELP WITH:
Education: Presentations, GOTA Coaching, Youth Engagement, Radio Operations. General Help: Cable Management, Shade / Tent Support, Battery Swaps, Runner / Misc. Tasks, End‑of‑Event Food Area Cleanup. Demonstrations: HF, VHF/UHF, Digital, CW
PLEASE RSVP AND VOLUNTEER WITH THIS FORM
Field Day is ham radio’s open house. Every June, more than 31,000 hams throughout North America set up temporary transmitting stations in public places to demonstrate ham radio’s science, skill and service to our communities and our nation. It combines public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach, and technical skills all in a single event. Field Day has been an annual event since 1933, and remains the most popular event in ham radio.
The South Florida DX Association in Fort Lauderdale invites all DX’ers to our meeting on Wednesday,
May 6, 2026 at 7:00PM. Eyeball QSO’s start at 6:30PM!
Topic: “The KP5/NP3VI Desecheo Island DXpedition – A History Making Amateur Radio Adventure”
