View Full Version : Field Day '10 thread
It's not too early to commence operational/logistics planning and discuss as a group what we'll be up to.
I got royally shafted during last year's event because of a professional certification which I had to sit for, but this year I'm playin' radio.
We'll be near 'WN's, 'LAZ's and 'LIX's neck of the woods for the event, running class 1B.
Decided on a 135ft, ladder-line-fed flattop supported by a couple of 40ft aluminum sectional masts. Next year each mast will be topped with an 8ft fiberglass extension supporting a horizontal loop array for either 6 or 2M.
Equipment used for HF this year will be pure Drake: TR-7/R-7/RV-7, PS-7, SP-75, MS-7 and MN-2700 tuner w/ balun.
Looking forward to adding a number of Islanders to the band logs. Who else will be participating, and what will you be running for a station?
Dunno details of equipment yet , and I dropped the ball on the reservation for the good site , so plans are in flux . What is known , is that we've created a small group , who'd rather not participate with the local club this year . They've always run a social event , with ops outnumbered by hangers-on about 9 to 1 . So this year , the newly created East Mississippi Field Unit will be out somewhere , 4 or 5 of us , using WE5DX for the first time . Probably 1a or 2a , not likely to be competitive , but we intend to have some fun and make a good inaugural run .
I will probably do my usual. There are 2 FD groups that I stop in and see on the way home from work. I will spend about 15-30 minutes at each. Then it's off to home where I will try to muster up enough interest to make 25-50 contacts and then call it a FD.
KG4CGC
06-03-2010, 06:31 AM
No clue as to calls and details. Hoping to get the spot beside the lake.
KC2UGV
06-03-2010, 08:24 AM
I'm kicking around the idea of either trying to work from Squaw Island, Strawberry Island (Not many years left for that Island), or East Java, in the sticks.
I figure I might get some calls if I am calling from an island (Not sure if it's on the Islands list or not).
WØTKX
06-03-2010, 11:15 AM
I dunno if I can do much except for maybe QRP battery power from the house.
Wanted to try low power category in the woods with some wire gain antennas... but that's hard to do one handed.
Mebbe next year.
I dunno if I can do much except for maybe QRP battery power from the house.
Wanted to try low power category in the woods with some wire gain antennas... but that's hard to do one handed.
Mebbe next year.
There's always SSB...
ki4itv
06-03-2010, 12:00 PM
Looks like I'll be bumming a ride this year. My own shack is a disaster right now.
Maybe the Goochland Gang will have me back again for the vampire shift.
... better get out and shake some hands, I'm probably assumed dead, or at least missing.:lol:
KG4CGC
06-03-2010, 01:43 PM
Here's a question: Is there anyway to predict which bands will be open? I can take down and disassemble my 10m antenna in about 30 minutes but if 10 is a bust I won't bother.
I know, not a reasonable question but one can hope. Besides, if there was a way to figure it out, aside from gut instinct, one could be better prepared.
The Eclair bunch will be on. We'll see if i can make it. The usual.. CQ field day W9EAU It's allready ringing in my head.
WN9HJW
06-03-2010, 02:07 PM
Deleted
The 4H'ers and boy scouts run the food stand and keep the proceeds. The club buys the food. So it's a cool deal. The local TV station comes out. There are two guys with the fire dept in the club, so they grab some of the learning disabled kids and bring em out for the day, And play radio.
KG4CGC
06-03-2010, 04:10 PM
Last year, I was the official photog.
http://s25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/bebop5/Field%20Day%2009/
kf0rt
06-04-2010, 10:04 AM
Last year, I was the official photog.
http://s25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/bebop5/Field%20Day%2009/
Who's the guy with the square head?
Regretfully, we won't be home the week up to and the weekend of Field Day. We will be taking Little Miss Field Day to a Talent Convention and Expo in Dallas. I don't think I'd be able to operate out of the hotel even if we had time, and we won't have much time.
It would be nice to get free Saturday night and help a local FD group for a few hours, but I'm unfamiliar with the area and don't have any idea where to start. Oh well.
One of the strangest FD's I ever went to was a few years ago under similar circumstances. We were in King of Prussia PA for a cousin's wedding on FD weekend. After the reception, I hopped into the card and headed for the DLARC FD site. Unfortunately, when I got there I found out that the person who invited me had neglected to actually tell anyone I might be stopping by. I sat there and chatted with some of the DLARC guys for awhile, but never actually touched a radio. And at 1 AM, they turned everything off, packed the rigs up, and went home to sleep for the night, to return at 8 AM to resume FD. Very strange.
By the way, the reason for my daughter's nickname... she was born the Friday of a FD weekend, a little peanut at 7 lb's 3 oz's. Yes, her birthweight was 7-3... a born ham, but not in the radio sense, you should hear her sing (I know, I know, I have to convert the DVD video format). Ahem. Obviously I didn't make FD that weekend, and thus, she was the Little reason that I Miss(ed) Field Day.
KC2UGV
06-04-2010, 10:16 AM
Who's the guy with the square head?
Somebody whose wife didn't know he was Field Day lol
KG4CGC
06-04-2010, 10:33 AM
He works for
yeah, he didn't want his face on the web.
Bosses orders etc.
The ARRL web site says that Field Day is for ". . . to learn to operate in abnormal situations in less than optimal conditions."
So if Field Day is some sort of emergency preparedness drill, why is it being discussed under the "Contesting" heading???
KG4CGC
06-04-2010, 12:39 PM
to learn to operate in abnormal situations in less than optimal conditions
Sooo, who's extruding their own copper and aluminum?
So if Field Day is some sort of emergency preparedness drill, why is it being discussed under the "Contesting" heading???
Simple. If you're keeping score, it's a contest. ;) :lol:
Despite Newington's protestations to the contrary. :spin:
So if Field Day is some sort of emergency preparedness drill, why is it being discussed under the "Contesting" heading???
Because we don't have a forum for "operating events of a public nature?"
Sooo, who's extruding their own copper and aluminum?
Sorry, I've heard of a high fiber diet, but that's ridiculous!
KG4CGC
06-04-2010, 01:51 PM
Sorry, I've heard of a high fiber diet, but that's ridiculous!
Rimshot!
KB3LIX
06-04-2010, 02:24 PM
I am going to stay home and "do my thing" from the land of air conditioning, and NO BUGS.
I just can't take the heat and the critters any longer.
In the past, I was the fool that stayed
up and operating from the "starting gun" to the "checkered flag" with the Field Day group.
Turns out, I was the ONLY one that had the perseverance to see it thru from start to finish.
I supposed the fact that I was the only one (the only IDIOT) soured me on the whole FD thing.
I'll stick to 1D from home, or maybe add a little spice to the mix and try a 1E this year and
see just how good my marine deep discharge battery REALLY is.
Enjoy the BUGS, the sloppy porta-potties and the ptomaine poisioning and/or botulism.
I will be 15 feet from my kitchen and coffee pot, and 35 feet from MY OWN BED.
WN9HJW
06-04-2010, 02:26 PM
Deleted
KG4CGC
06-04-2010, 03:03 PM
Who cares? I don't. Some groups may want to treat it as an emergency preparedness drill. That's fine. Some treat it as a contest. Some treat it as social event. Something for everyone. As far as I'm concerned it's basically entertainment for part of a weekend.
Like + a million!
Hand Radio is serious bznss.
kf0rt
06-04-2010, 03:05 PM
Simple. If you're keeping score, it's a contest. ;) :lol:
Despite Newington's protestations to the contrary. :spin:
We always treated it as a beertest. :cheers:
KG4CGC
06-04-2010, 03:07 PM
Or a bunch of old farts arguing over what knot to tie.
"Now look here son! Yer gonna need a sheep shank right there. That clove hitch is just gonna get ya in more trouble later."
Oh yeah. Three four do all the work and the rest just show up to eat and bitch. Funny. Must be same nationwide.
kf0rt
06-04-2010, 06:42 PM
Oh yeah. Three four do all the work and the rest just show up to eat and bitch. Funny. Must be same nationwide.
Eh, dunno Mark. It's been awhile since I've really done the big group Field Day, but I've been involved in it from both ends of the spectrum. Used to do it with a serious bunch of contesters (look up WØLJF in 1974 - Colorado Contest Conspiracy). Scored second in the nation in the highly competitive 2A category. Bust ass from months before until weeks after. With only 12 or so people involved, I don't think I got in any real operating -- that was left to the "pro" operators. Also done it with the party crowd, and even then, most folks pitched in. We were probably the first group in the nation to use computerized logging during Field Day (and that was during the "party" years). 1980 ARA "Booze & Boogie Field Day" (that's not me):
http://www.westton.com/misc/fd1980.jpg
The thing that makes Field Day special is that it typically IS a big group effort and you can make it fit anywhere you want on the fun scale. Wives, kids and dogs, no problemo. Never ran into anyone who was into the "eat and bitch" scenario, but it's been many years since I've attended a club event. Have things changed that much? For my dime, the most enjoyment came from a picnic/campout affair that revolved around radio.
If you ain't havin' fun, you're doing it wrong.
99% of the eclair bunch used to talk to marconi. The titanic was a high speed watercraft to these guy's.
Somewhere around here , I have a pic from a club FD several years ago , with a scrawled sharpie-on-notebook paper sign hanging from my neck by 2 clip leads . " Sleep -deprived. Stay back 200 feet. "
Facilities and food are no problem for us - we'll use 'DSG's parents' place as our "portable" setup point. Paper logs; no computers to worry about. Power could be in the form of a generator, battery w/ solar cells or mains.
Everything needed for the station (including antennas and supports, tent/rain tarp, chairs, gear and so forth) can fit easily in one vehicle. While it's nice to have a crew on-hand to erect the aerials, I designed our setup so that two people can manage it if need be.
My nephew is 12 and has been interested in radio/electronics since age 5; this year he's finally getting the hang of how to operate so I'm probably going to turn him loose on 10 should we get a good band opening.
KC2SIS
06-05-2010, 10:19 AM
This year I will be operating with the club (K2GE) and we have a pretty nice location with real bathrooms available. The club pays for the food so I don't have to worry about bringing anything except my favorite beverage. I will be operating mostly CW on the overnight, I'm looking forward to it.
WN9HJW
06-22-2010, 07:05 PM
Deleted
KU0DM
06-23-2010, 11:40 AM
Our family reunion is scheduled for this weekend. A family with 18 hams...and the reunion is scheduled on Field Day.
Our family reunion is scheduled for this weekend. A family with 18 hams...and the reunion is scheduled on Field Day.
:doh: :doh: :slap:
KG4CGC
06-23-2010, 12:12 PM
I think the ham members could set up in the yard and have the rest of the family wait on them hand and foot.
My in-laws actually look forward to us coming out and setting up every year - and the most enthusiastic of the bunch is 'DSG's mom. Haven't gotten either of them on the air yet, but I'm going to encourage Nicki's sister and my nephew to do so if they show up. Youngster really likes electronics and he's finally old enough to understand what's going on when it comes to operating.
Forecast is now calling for scattered thunderstorms all weekend. Assuming that we have dry weather for the initial setup and a brief clear window for teardown on Sunday I'll be putting WPA on the air. Should it be a rain-out we'll be working 5D from the main shack.
KG4CGC
06-23-2010, 07:34 PM
We are expecting about 5 degree cooler temps this Saturday with a chance over afternoon isolated thunder bumpers but those are hit or miss depending on location. So far my group may only be Tom and myself. As it stands, the other participants are either working this weekend or nonresponsive and we did have a longer list this year.
I may just pop for a cheap car battery and throw a wire down the side of a mountain. The YL won't like it but I'll just have to figure out something for her later.
I mean crap, I skim bugs out of her pool everyday!
The YL won't like it but I'll just have to figure out something for her later.
I mean crap, I skim bugs out of her pool everyday!
Pool Hand Strong, friend ...
http://www.theangrypharmacist.com/assets_c/2007/11/slap-thumb-374x291.jpg
KG4CGC
06-23-2010, 07:50 PM
My Native American name is, Fat Guy With Tan.
Dunno details of equipment yet , and I dropped the ball on the reservation for the good site , so plans are in flux . What is known , is that we've created a small group , who'd rather not participate with the local club this year . They've always run a social event , with ops outnumbered by hangers-on about 9 to 1 . So this year , the newly created East Mississippi Field Unit will be out somewhere , 4 or 5 of us , using WE5DX for the first time . Probably 1a or 2a , not likely to be competitive , but we intend to have some fun and make a good inaugural run .
The local club up here is the opposite. They are way to serious about stuff. Their idea of field day is to get out away from everyone and then expect people to come to them to see what ham radio is all about. I tried to convince (I was the PR guy at the time) them that if they wanted to make this a PR event (which was their goal) that they needed to set up in a very public place like the downtown park or in the parking lot of a shopping mall. All they complained about was the QRM from being so close to other buildings.
Call me obtuse, but I seem to think that in an emergency, we would be near all those buildings anyway, not way out in the boonies away from anyone and everyone. The club station (a 30 foot RV equipped to the hilt with portable tower in tow) is more than able to handle a public location, but those calling the shots get their way and field day is attended by a dozen or so regulars with no interest in talking to others about ham radio. A bunch of guys have been holding their own picnic on field day the last few years and it is quickly becoming more popular than the club event. They work the bands, meet and greet passers by, hand out hot dogs, and have a bunch of fun in the process.
I have not attended for a couple years. I may try and get involved with the local club again this fall.
It's o-dark-thirty here and we're beginning final preparation for the journey to our site. Car is packed full of radio gear, antennas, portable masts, tools and all the other stuff needed to operate.
We'll have access to a PC so look for a few pics throughout the event, and I'll post our band/frequency info from time to time via my Blackberry. Hope to put some of you in the log today.
If you have access to the 'Net while operating Field Day, drop a report or two in here every now and then.
WØTKX
06-26-2010, 12:50 PM
I may op in the middle of the night with KØXTR's group, otherwise with my call sign at home. But the middle of the night thing will be the most likely FD operating... and I think I can post here, from there. Would be able to for sure if a (PDA) theme for Winders Mobile 6 was working. ;)
QRV on 15M SSB at the moment, taking a coffee break.
We bent our easternmost 40ft mast as it was going up, so it's now a 30 footer with a 10M vertical installed. The westernmost support is still in the bag; I used a handy tree as the other support point for our center-fed Zepp'lin, man...
Propagation comes and goes - about a dozen calls in the log on 10 and roughly twice that number on 15, including some DX stations who just wanted to chat a bit.
Cuppa coffee time, then back to it.
Still 90 minutes to go before I leave work.
I'll check back around 5:15 to see where anyone/everyone is. Maybe work some of you from the car.
suddenseer
06-26-2010, 03:45 PM
The local club up here is the opposite. They are way to serious about stuff. Their idea of field day is to get out away from everyone and then expect people to come to them to see what ham radio is all about. I tried to convince (I was the PR guy at the time) them that if they wanted to make this a PR event (which was their goal) that they needed to set up in a very public place like the downtown park or in the parking lot of a shopping mall. All they complained about was the QRM from being so close to other buildings.
Call me obtuse, but I seem to think that in an emergency, we would be near all those buildings anyway, not way out in the boonies away from anyone and everyone. The club station (a 30 foot RV equipped to the hilt with portable tower in tow) is more than able to handle a public location, but those calling the shots get their way and field day is attended by a dozen or so regulars with no interest in talking to others about ham radio. A bunch of guys have been holding their own picnic on field day the last few years and it is quickly becoming more popular than the club event. They work the bands, meet and greet passers by, hand out hot dogs, and have a bunch of fun in the process.
I have not attended for a couple years. I may try and get involved with the local club again this fall.
You are not obtuse (at least to me) There are 2 clubs in Ohio that set up in shopping center parking lots. One of them are supplied with food & drinks from the grocery store located there. They are set to do Oscar tracking as well. They get the curious to stop in and operate, have a burger, dog, cold soda.
OK, where are some of you? I'm outta here in 5 minutes.
Just got done with a run on 10M around 28.392. Worked so many I now have writer's cramp and cotton mouth. 'DSG is gonna have to step up to the plate shortly. Right now she's playing super-duper but I need another set of vocal cords on that mic.
Another page of 10M contacts...spent a half hour talking to Marty, W3QK who lives roughly 6 miles from where we're set up at the moment.
He may be signing up over here shortly.
Back to the fray - my nephew is eyeing the mic and thinks this whole ham radio thing looks like fun.
suddenseer
06-26-2010, 08:42 PM
6M is so busy it sounds like 75M's usual qrm. It is so interesting that these 'dead' bands snap to life for a contest, field day, or qso party.
6 1/2 pages of contacts, and I slept from 1AM til 9AM this morning - tore down at noon to beat the thunderstorms which were due to arrive in the area.
Spent an hour and a half trying to get one of four different Hawaiians on 20M in the log but the west-coast guys kept edging me out. :wall:
Terry, you were right about 6M - 10 went so short last evening that I was really wondering how 6 was going to fare. Too bad I didn't take a 6M rig this time around.
Barely managed 10 contacts last night. Did nothing today. Just wasn't into it this year at all.
WØTKX
06-27-2010, 07:14 PM
I'm proud to say I had no FD contacts, and ragchewed with various refugees on 17m last night for 3-4 hours. :lol:
I don't feel this way... OMG some people hate contesting. I messed with one
guy and told him (with my upset and hurt voice) that my mom was a contester.
Was lulzy, had him going for about 15 minutes, then I fessed up. :lol:
I'm proud to say I had no FD contacts, and ragchewed with various refugees on 17m last night for 3-4 hours. :lol:
I don't feel this way... OMG some people hate contesting. I messed with one
guy and told him (with my upset and hurt voice) that my mom was a contester.
Was lulzy, had him going for about 15 minutes, then I fessed up. :lol:
This year was my catch-up year.
Had a lot of items to deal with during the past few Field Days, including one professional certification exam taken last year. (I passed.)
My nephew was highly jazzed about the event and asked a gazillion questions about the event, the gear and a number of other radio-related topics. He didn't want to leave our setup last night and made his mother drag him over at 8AM today!
Ragchews...I had a few with causal participants during the course of the event, including one DX station on 15. On the other hand - I have never worked so many IL, MI and WI stations in my life. It got to be a running joke with the logging staff... :whistle:
KC2UGV
06-28-2010, 07:39 AM
Well, wifey let me get away for part of Saturday. Ended up working out of Squaw Island Park here in Buffalo. Some wire in the trees, and ran PSK out of my van. Made about 20 or so contacts before I tore down and headed home for "real life" (aka Graduation party for my wife's aunt's daugher).
WN9HJW
06-28-2010, 05:47 PM
Deleted
Well , our little "separatist " team bagged 129 contacts total . Not enough to brag about , but fun was had , learning was accomplished , and it was a fair inaugural for the WE5DX callsign . After "plan A " unraveled , our new friend and neighbor , Jim , AD5OW , invited us to set up at his place . He , I , and Tom , KC5NMB , operated 2D , using Jim's TS-2000 and my borrowed Radio Shack 10m rig . We have plans to work some other operating events before long , and I look forward to it .
I've invited Jim to join us here . He's not registered yet , though I think he's been reading in the public areas . Please make him welcome whenever he makes it official .
w3bny
06-29-2010, 12:15 PM
Our site worked KG4KWW. He was working as a 1A. Guess even his local club said GTFO!
KG4CGC
06-29-2010, 12:24 PM
Our site worked KG4KWW. He was working as a 1A. Guess even his local club said GTFO!
LOL! But were you worried about his virginity? What about virgin panties?
Aww SHYTE! You dun got, I said you dun got me started there, Son.
ki4itv
06-29-2010, 06:03 PM
Our site worked KG4KWW. He was working as a 1A. Guess even his local club said GTFO!
Wouldn't surprise me, even the RATS are through with him. He's burning bridges faster than Sherman ever could.
Drama prince aside....
I did happen to remember it was field day after work on Saturday and had the presence of mind to stop by the Richmond Amateur Telecommunications Society Field Day. Worked a run, hunted and pecked for a few and left knowing I haven't missed a field day yet, somewhere, if anywhere.
Turnout was very light...I felt kinda guilty for keeping to myself so much this year, but I guess I'm not the only one.
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