Field Day is officially an operating event not a contest. The purpose remains today as it did in the beginning:
to demonstrate the communications ability of the amateur radio community in simulated emergency situations.
Groups across the continent use Field Day as a literal “show and tell” exhibition. At sites from the tundra of Alaska to the
sandy beaches of Puerto Rico, amateur radio brings together its resources to show officials in government and various
agencies what “amateur radio can do.”
Many clubs use Field Day as the focus of their annual calendar. Many hams that are not otherwise interested in
contesting or DXing find themselves meeting various challenges to help their club run a successful Field Day operation.
Officially, Field Day is not a contest. But it is the thrill of the “non-contest contest” that brings out the best in thousands
of amateurs who under most circumstances choose not to participate in the various sponsored contests