Field Day means different things to different hams. For some, it’s a competition—a chance to test gear, strategy, and skill. When we spoke with the W3AO team about their 28-year run of record-breaking efforts, we celebrated that spirit. But Field Day can also look like this: lawn chairs in a field, lawn mowing, antenna builds, and a loose pact that everyone makes at least one QSO—if they feel like it.

At KM7W in rural Montana, Chris Hurlbut KL9A and Dan Craig N6MJ—two of the most respected contesters in amateur radio—set aside the race for rate and mults. Instead, they invited family, friends, and fellow ops to simply enjoy the experience. Some flew in, others drove across the country. Together they raised antennas, told stories around the firepit, dodged rattlesnakes, and made over 3,000 contacts—without ever writing a shift schedule.

Levi’s improvised satellite station—with a last-minute-built handheld yagi—became the hit of the weekend. At 2:30 a.m., they tracked the International Space Station under the stars, calling out headings while trying not to wake the others. That’s Field Day, too.

Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio for more stories like this, where signal reports matter—but so do the people behind the mic and the ones behind the op.

Thanks to DX Engineering, whose support helps fuel every version of Field Day—from the multi-multi juggernauts to backyard ops with just enough coax and a cooler of cold drinks.