BELLA VISTA -- With over 2,500 radio contacts and 103 attendees, Bella Vista Radio Club has been awarded first place in the nation in the competitive Class A division of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Field Day. The results of the annual event in June are published in the December issue of QST magazine, the monthly membership journal of ARRL, which is the national association for amateur radio in the United States. Field Day dates back to 1933. Tom Northfell, radio operator W5XNA, coordinated the local event June 22-23 at Metfield Park in Bella Vista. He said the club participated in the class 3A Commercial division, meaning the club used three transmitters with commercial power during the event. "The club's first place finish placed [us] ahead of clubs from larger metropolitan areas such as Mobile, Alabama, and Orlando, Florida," Northfell said. "This is the second time the club finished in first place in the past three Field Day events."