GOTA stands for Get On the Air. By setting up a GOTA station during ARRL Field Day, you can give newly licensed Hams as well as curious onlookers the opportunity to strap on a pair of headphones and experience Ham Radio firsthand. While having a GOTA station at Field Day can earn your club points, your efforts will serve a much loftier purpose: introducing the community to the practical applications of Ham Radio.
Some of the basics: Clubs competing for points on Field Day can have one GOTA station. The station may operate on any amateur band on which Field Day operation is permitted (HF or VHF). Band privileges will be determined by the license held by the control operator, who must always be present at the control point of the GOTA station when transmitting.
Non-licensees may participate with the control operator by speaking into the microphone, sending CW, or making digital contacts. The GOTA station may contact any other amateur radio station, with a few exceptions. Click here for complete rules from the ARRL. And here’s a few suggestions for making your GOTA station a success.
What will you need for your GOTA station? DX Engineering carries some of the essentials, including canopies, chairs, radios, antennas, CW keys, plenty of coax cable, and power supplies.
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