Back Yard Field Day Guidance Changes

W4BXC has done ARRL Field Day in the back yard for a few years now. While I was trying to figure out what class we’d be operating at a while back, I came across this in the ARRL Field Day FAQ. The 2023 (and earlier) Field Day Packet the question/answer says:

Q: We don’t have an area club, but we do have a small group of area hams (generally two or three of us get together for operating events). I have a large-deep property, and we will be setting up in my back yard. What Class would we be? Class A, Class B or ?

A: Convenient access across one’s back yard to their home station facilities is not in keeping with the spirit of Class A or Class B portable operations. Such convenient backyard operations on property of home stations remain either Class D (commercial power) or Class E (emergency power), even if home antenna structures are not used. If the station will be a “good hike” away from a home station (eg. at the rear of a several acre lot, or perhaps operating from a farmers field down the road) – clearly away from home conveniences (away from home utilities, or home restrooms/bedrooms, or even eating facilities/refrigerator/kitchen) – then Class A (3 or more persons portable) or Class B (1 or 2 person portable) is appropriate.

ARRL Field Day Packet 2023

Because of this, W4BXC has been operating as Class E for the last few Field Days.

While preparing for Field Day 2026, I went to look at the rules and FAQ again. The 2026 edition isn’t out yet but the 2025 edition is still available. Much to my surprise, I found the response to the same question had changed. Now, the answer reads:

A: Class B stations, like Class A are designated as portable stations – the difference between Class A and B is the number of participants. Class B stations are limited to 1 or 2 participants, which includes anyone assisting in setup/breakdown, as well as actually operating. If you’re setting up at your property and you are not using your normal station, or using any facilities installed for permanent station use (including any antennas that you normally use), then you’d qualify as Class B. Other provisions are the same as Class A except it is not eligible for a GOTA station. If you’re operating at your normal station location using permanent station facilities, then you’d be a Class D or E home station.

ARRL Field Day Packet 2025

I don’t have the 2024 packet so I don’t know if the answer changed last year or before that.

I feel like this new answer is a little more ambiguous than the previous one, depending on how you interpret “using any facilities installed for permanent station use”. If you interpret that to mean just things related to the shack and radio operation (antenna, feedline, base station, shack, etc) then it’s a more relaxed version than the previous answer. If, on the other hand, you take a much broader interpretation to include things like “home conveniences” mentioned in the previous answer, then the answer remains the same only worded differently.

I’m going to go with the former interpretation where “facilities” refers only to things related to the shack and radio operation (antenna, feedline, radio, power, etc). For our past Field Day activities, we’ve never used anything permanently set up for the regular shack, and we plan to keep doing that this year. I think this means that W4BXC can operate as Class A this year.