PAGE FOR WFD2025. This page will change year-to-year depending on what we do for Winter Field Day. For Previous WFD activities see: 2021, 2021 logging, 2022, 2023 wrap up, 2023 scores, 2024 plan, 2024 Wrap up.
Table of Contents
The Setup
In 2021 Bob Cardone, N2EIM introduced the Sarnoff Radio Club to “Winter Field Day” (presentation .pdf) Since then the club has deployed to a back yard in 2022 (link), and to the Red Cross back lot in 2023 (link).
For 2024 the club looked for places with at least a PortaPotty and trees and some height. After a few spots fell through, Cushla KD2TCH asked South Brunswick Township about parks. Woodlot Park, in Kendall Park section of the township fit the bill nicely. We will be returning to Woodlot Park in 2025. We will use our club callsign, N2RE

The park is near the highest point in South Brunswick, and close to our 443.4MHz repeater site. We can not use a generator without a permit, but the park had has electricity by the Grove/Playground and in the Pavilion. We used it in both places.
The Recreation Department notes that the park is not open, but we are allowed to use the site “During Daylight Hours Only” on both Saturday and Sunday. The need to break down our operation at 5 PM Saturday made this year be, essentially, two deployments– and some folks can show up on one day and some on the other, so this will be a learning experience!
When is it?
Saturday – Contest starts at 11 AM (so come early) “EMCOMM Practice”
The Saturday objective is to get on the air for 11 AM sharp, and operate until 5 PM or so. This gets us extra points, so it is a priority. A simple rig with a simple antenna is enough for the first operating position. This could be 20 meters, for simplicity.
Being able to create a station and get on the air quickly is a goal of ham radio EMergency COMMunications (EMCOMM)! Let’s use Saturday morning, no matter what the weather, as a testbed for working together for rapid deployment. At some point during the day we can sit and talk about what went well, and what could be better… and use Sunday morning as a second chance.
Getting an antenna up for 146.52 and 146.55 should be our next goal… (also logging supplies and tent, etc.) Coffee pot and networking the logging software is also a priority here.
We will be logging most of our contacts using N1MM+ networked via wifi.
Next we put up other antennas and more radios, while a few operators talk or pound brass on the first position. 15, 40, 10, 2, 6, Digital and cw and message passing will come next. Putting an antenna high in the trees is the best way to make contacts, so the non-operators will work on that (depending on weather.) We will operate “5” “Outdoor” again this year, though we may not have 5 transmitters on at the same time!
Operating goes until almost dark, we will take down most of the setup before before sunset, leaving one station going so the last station can operate the full 6 hours.
Food… we are still figuring that out, but often there’s plenty. Bring your own water bottle, dress warmly, etc. Our two best cooks are not around for Saturday… so this is your big chance. Let’s plan on hot coffee and some snack foods, and maybe order pizza…?
Sunday
Come back, set stuff up again, and operate until 2 PM. We had a blast last year in the cold rain… And when it was over we sat down in the pavilion and had lunch together, then went home.
How to get there
Our Winter Field Day “learning experience” will take place on January 25 and 26, at Woodlot Park in South Brunswick Township, New Jersey. The park is operated by South Brunswick and only open from dawn to dusk. As such, we will be packing up on Saturday and re-deploying on Sunday morning.
Woodlot Park is on New Road, between NJ Route 27 and US Route 1, about half way between Trenton and New Brunswick, NJ. This is about 7 miles north of the “Princeton Circle”/Washington Road. Take the jug-handle off of US 1 north at the Taco Bell, heading toward Kendall Park.
Our setup will be in or next to the parking lot approximately under the letters “lot” in Woodlot, park there.


Think of this as two EmComm (EMergency COMMunications) deployments…
Because it is in a public park we have to obey park rules. We will only be in the park during daylight hours, so no late night DX. We will pack up Saturday night and re-deploy on Sunday morning. We also can not use a generator, so we will use the electric power provided by the park. Don’t worry, our generator will get a work out this summer. Also, the park has rest rooms in the gym building!!
If either day is rainy, we may set up down the hill in a covered pavilion, with picnic tables. If it’s sunny we’ll put up tents in the grove.
All are welcome!
Please come! Learn something new, make contacts and have fun. If you are shy, we can have you help log contacts (we have computers to help with that) and we will give you time on the microphone or key or computer… something for everyone. Those with Tech licenses need to have a General or Extra control operator for HF (except code bands)
For more on Winter Field Day, see their website https://winterfieldday.org/