Tim Goeppinger, left, and Dana Roode troubleshoot an issue in the morse code radio for the Orange County Amateur Radio Club during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
A radio owned by the Orange County Amateur Radio Club is seen during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
A radio owned by the Orange County Amateur Radio Club is seen during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
Successful connections by the Orange County Amateur Radio Club are recorded during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
Members of the Orange County Amateur Radio Club work to contact other radio operators during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
The call sign for the Orange County Amateur Radio Club is displayed during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
A 30-foot-high antenna is set up on a middle school soccer field by the Orange County Amateur Radio Club during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
Spare radio equipment is stored for the Orange County Amateur Radio Club during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
Willy Bustamante, left, looks through an operation manual for the Orange County Amateur Radio Club during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
Willy Bustamante operates a radio for the Orange County Amateur Radio Club during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
A radio owned by the Orange County Amateur Radio Club is seen during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
A morse code keyer is operated by the Orange County Amateur Radio Club during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
The Orange County Amateur Radio Club attempts to contact other radio operators during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
John Gabler examines a generator for the Orange County Amateur Radio Club during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. Competitors receive bonus points for operating off the grid through propane generators. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
The Orange County Amateur Radio Club attempts to contact other radio operators during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
A screen displays information on a radio for the Orange County Amateur Radio Club during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
Ron Mudry makes adjustments to a radio for the Orange County Amateur Radio Club during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
Harold Valenzuela speaks with another radio operator for the Orange County Amateur Radio Club during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
Dan Violette, president of the Orange County Amateur Radio Club works to contact other radio operators during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
Ron Mudry, center, and Vijay Anand, right, aim an antenna to try and establish a connection through the International Space Station while Dave Ginsberg attempts to contact other radio operators for the Orange County Amateur Radio Club during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
A 30-foot-high antenna is set up on a middle school soccer field by the Orange County Amateur Radio Club during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
Ron Mudry, left, and Vijay Anand aim an antenna to try and establish a connection through the International Space Station for the Orange County Amateur Radio Club during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
A 30-foot-high antenna is set up on a middle school soccer field by the Orange County Amateur Radio Club during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
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Tim Goeppinger, left, and Dana Roode troubleshoot an issue in the morse code radio for the Orange County Amateur Radio Club during a competition between radio enthusiasts across the world, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Photo by William Liang, Contributing Photographer)
The fun is seeing how far you can go, the point is being ready to keep contact when an emergency strikes.
Members of the Orange County Amateur Radio Club spent the weekend camped out on a Huntington Beach middle school soccer field, practicing various ways the ham radio operators will help in an earthquake, fire or other disaster that knocks out communications.
When you can’t hop on your cellphone, they’ll be able to tune in other operators across the globe and keep lines of communication open.
The annual Winter Field Day is hosted in conjunction with groups across the country; operators use generators and alternative power sources to practice keeping emergency communications open in a variety of conditions.
During the 24-hour event, the goal is to make contact with as many other licensed ham operators as possible using various modes, such as voice, Morse code, packet radio, high frequency, low frequency, satellites and even a moon bounce, organizers said.
The field day invites the public, letting people see how far they can make contact — and hopefully encouraging a younger generation to get interested.
