Field Day 2009/2010?

[Andy N1ORK]

Any one planning to operate Field Day this year?:headphones:
I will be operating with our club W1BRS (Whiskey One Boston Red Sox).

I have the 10m staion and will be using my FT-847, FC-20 Tuner into a 10m di-pole strung from the trees.:limb:Plan to operate all 24hrs except for food and other neccecities.:whistle: Hope to catch some of the ORR crew on the air. Let us know what call you will use and what band(s)
73
Andy - n1ork

[Radio]

And I am going to a wedding. Should wipe out the entire weekend. :(

The only good news is it's on the coast and we are taking the trailer.
Oh yeah, my niece seems to be getting a really nice guy.

:kiss:

[TXiceman]

I will be operating the SSB and GOTA stations (part-time) at our club field day. Club call is W5NC. I was roped into being Field Day Coordinator. Trying to get everyone to help and get the equipment coordinated ...whew.

Ken

[KB5LJE]

We are operating in emergency mode and our call will be

KK5K

No assignment for me due to health reasons but will try to run you down on 10m during the session.


Mike :)

[One Country Boy]

Andy, Ken and Mike,

You guys log onto ORR during FD and leave us some freqs on this thread so we can try to give you a contact. If that possible from your locations.

Jim

[Andy N1ORK]

Won't have WWW at the site, but I'll be on 10m 28.300 to 28.490 when I'm hunting, 28.420 +/- 10 when sitting. Field day call is W1BRS
Andy - n1ork

[One Country Boy]

OK Andy, I'll be listening for you. I think many times these bands, like 10 and 6 meters, are open or somewhat open, just no one calling. I tend to tune across the bands listening but hardly ever give a CQ call. I think many others do the same.

Good luck to all you guys with the Field Day activities.

[wa8yxm]

Looks like I will be one of the "Generators" for my club's Field day since the Motor home can usually spare a few kilowatts

[One Country Boy]

Looks like I will be one of the "Generators" for my club's Field day since the Motor home can usually spare a few kilowatts

Good idea John. Gives you a nice place to relax as well.

Jim

[TXiceman]

We will be running class 2A, just a SSb and CW station both on beam antennas pointed tot he NE to start with. We will also have up a couple of wires to switch to at nightWe are 2A STX. The GOTA will probably be on a vertical antenna.

We will have to look for a frequency and want to sit and call. If that does not work, we'll go to search and pounce mode.

My cell is 713-302-9957. I'll be there during set up and head home about 1200 CST or 13oo hours and back at 1600 for the GOTA, then the SSB station for 1700 to 1900 CST and probably back on the GOTA at 1900 for an hour unless we get some last minute sign ups.

The bands have been nicer here lately. From Houston, I have made contacts on 17 and 20m to N, Ireland, Caracas, VZ, southern France and Hawaii. Also made contacts in Germany and Italy. Come on Sun Spots. Using the FT897D, AT200 Pro tuner and either the HF9V vertical or the Carolina Windom 80 Special antennas...on 100 watts.

Ken

[One Country Boy]

We will be running class 2A, just a SSb and CW station both on beam antennas pointed tot he NE to start with. We will also have up a couple of wires to switch to at nightWe are 2A STX. The GOTA will probably be on a vertical antenna.

We will have to look for a frequency and want to sit and call. If that does not work, we'll go to search and pounce mode.

My cell is 713-302-9957. I'll be there during set up and head home about 1200 CST or 13oo hours and back at 1600 for the GOTA, then the SSB station for 1700 to 1900 CST and probably back on the GOTA at 1900 for an hour unless we get some last minute sign ups.

The bands have been nicer here lately. From Houston, I have made contacts on 17 and 20m to N, Ireland, Caracas, VZ, southern France and Hawaii. Also made contacts in Germany and Italy. Come on Sun Spots. Using the FT897D, AT200 Pro tuner and either the HF9V vertical or the Carolina Windom 80 Special antennas...on 100 watts.

Ken

That's this weekend, I don't know why but I was thinking it was a couple of weeks away. I'm going to do my best to work some stations, I'll be in and out. We don't have any plans as far as I know. Will try to contact you guys. Will be like looking for a needle in a haystack but worth a try. Got your number Ken, may call to see what freq you are on.

You mentioned the bands in good shape. I've heard several openings on 6 meters and also an opening or two on 15 meters.

Good luck to all you guys in the contest.

[TXiceman]

We were making contacts today, but man it was a fight, the bands were crowded and every one was walking on everyone else.

Ken

[One Country Boy]

I made a few contacts from home yesterday on 40 meters during mid afternoon, one on 80. I listened on 10 meters but it was dead here. Hope things were better for Andy. I didn't work at it, just listening and answering a few good signals.

40 meters is jumpng right now and crowded. If all works as normal 40 will start to null in the heat of the day but still some activity. I didn't hear much on 20 during the day yesterday at my QTH.

Good luck in the contest guys.

73,
Jim

PS - I had to edit and add this comment. About the time I clicked the send button, I heard the ISS come across. Believe it or not the astronaut was working "Field Day".

[Andy N1ORK]

Hi Guys,
Just got back from FD about 15:30 local. We ran 10F CT and all had a great time. I got 206 contacts on 10m using 100w into a dipole up about 30', so I think I did pretty well. Don't know what the over all results are for the club, we still need to get all the electronic N3FJP logs together to send the proper info in to the ARRL. We tried to network the PCs, they worked ok during the test mode, but had troubles during the actual FD so we each ran the individual log programs. OK, on to next year - maybe we'll get the bugs out.
73
Andy - n1ork

[wa8yxm]

Well, FD is over now, save for the point counting, I worked with my club, Since this "hose" has a 5500 watt Onan in the basement I was the primary power source for the event :) (Not the first time) this time however I worked as a coach/control op on the GOTA station.

And long about the last hour of the event I got to log (My "Coached" operator worked them but I was logging) W1AW,, Never did that before :) Very happy

[TXiceman]

Well we survived. It was over 100 dF both days. We had some operators bail on us due to the heat. I can understand the older ones, but a bit disappointed in the younger ones.

About 1100 CST we started pulling down antennas not in use and left up one vertical on the CW, one dipole on the GOTA and the beam on the SSB station. When 1300 CST hit, down can the rest and we were ready to roll out at 1400 CST.

Typical problems for us:

Coax that worked last year and checked good last week ...one was bad.

Beam on CW was a problem all along...

The 18kW diesel generator was used last by the owners two neighbors during Ike. It was cranked last week and showed 250 volts at the panel. When we tried to put power on it, the field switch was bad and the regulated voltage ran from 92 volts to 150 volts. With 1 hour to start, made a quick trip to a close by operator and got his 4kW to get on the air. Went home and got my 6.5kW and 15 gallons of gasoline plus it's full tank. Never missed a beat during the 23 hours it ran.

Other than that everything was good except for the heat. We had a 15 minute shower about 1600 and after that, the sauna was open and no breeze.

Looking forward to next year. I wonder we can petition the ARRL to move field day back to the 1 weekend in May. June is summer for us in the south.

Ken

[One Country Boy]

Andy, John and Ken,

Sounds as though you all had a good time. That's what it's all about.

Sounds like propagation was much better for 10 meters at your location then here Andy. I listened on 10 for awhile using my 80 meter double bazooka and didn't hear a peep. It's suppose to do well on 10 meters. I would say 206 contacts was not shabby at all. Was any of it good DX?

John, forgive me please, but I'm not sure I understand the last line of your post. Please explain. Sounds like it was fun though. I'm glad to hear you were able to supply your group with EP.

Ken, seems like those kind of problems alway exist and there are always the last minute fix 'ems. I bet you guys were hot. It was 104 degrees here Saturday and Sunday in the shade. Staying out in that heat, you sure had to stay hydrated.

Glad you guys posted a follow up. I was anxious to hear how it went. Thank you. Man there were a lot of stations on 40 meters today. I was surprised at the numbers I heard. I gave a few of them a "1 Delta from North Florida". I heard quite a few "1 Delta Stations" in operation.

Late Saturday afternoon I switched over to 75 meter SSB, just before the band started to lengthen out. I worked WB4MZO, a club near Marietta, GA. They were in no hurry and picking up a station here and there. The operator I contacted wanted to rag-chew more than compete. He described his group as a bunch of retired Western Electric employees. They were having a good time and a pleasure to make contact with. Looked 'em up on QRZ.COM and sure enough it describes the old Western Electric group. I worked another station in Wade's neck of the woods, KD4YDC. He was booming in here on a home station.

Thanks for the posts gentlemen. Good to hear it went well for you.

Jim

[One Country Boy]

Anyone got any FD photos to post ? I've got a few a friend sent me from a group out of Pensacola. I forget the number of xmitters, but they claim 3000 contacts or more. I'm going to ask them if it's OK t post them. It was actually a combind effort of several hams from different areas in NW Florida and Alabama. They take FD seriously and pull out all the stops. These guys work some high speed CW. Hopefully I'll post them in the next day or two if possible.

Jim

[Andy N1ORK]

Just to prove I did operate.

[One Country Boy]

Thanks for the photos Andy. I believed you operated.:poke:

The below photos are from "Field Day 2009". The station operating as K4F, somewhere in the Pensacola area. These were some serious contest hams. Charlie (NF4A) sent these photos out. He's an engineer for Clear Channel Radio and covers a large area in the southeast and enjoys operating CW. We've known each other since we were teenagers. He almost has to operate CW because of his huge Redman chew.:D "Redman, the preferred chew of Ham Operators everywhere.":whistle: How about the portable antenna support these guys were using ?

These guys were talking 3000 contacts with 2 transmitters.

[Andy N1ORK]

OK, just wondering who's gonna do FD this year? I'll be doing 10m ssb for our club W1BRS again. :radio: Hope the band and the WX is favorable this year.:panic: Don't forget to post some photos again this year.:havefun:
73
Andy - n1ork

[W7PSK]

Going to be on from the house 1D Looking for 5BWAS states on LOTW I need.

10 I need 24, so will just tool around the band hoping.

15 I need ND, MT and WY.

80 I need RI, ME, IA, MS and AL.


So will be on searching :).

[TXiceman]

I was hooked into being the club Power Team Captain this year. Got the generators set up, power cords and gasoline cans. Got to get out and help set up antennas, and will operate SSB for 4 hours Sunday. We will be using the club call W5NC and operating 2A STX on SSB and CW. We will also be running a GOTA station, and a VHF/UHF for talk in, and a Satellite station at times.

Ken

[Andy N1ORK]

Honey, I'm home!
:redtent::headphones:
Great Field Day with the Bears of Manchester - W1BRS. We were 9F CT. The WX was great, everyone had a great time and we all ate too much. Oh, we did a little bit of Hammin' too. I got 300 10m contacts using my FT-857D into a di-pole about 30' in the trees and I got 5 1/2 hours of sleep too! Photos to come.
Hope everyone had a good W/E!
73
Andy - n1ork

[TXiceman]

Our weather was HOT...97 and 98 degF. Field Day needs to be moved to April.

Bands were generally open, but VERY crowed.

Ken

[wa8yxm]

I got in an hour of class 1-D operation here in the parked motor home (from 1-2 Pm Eastern time Sunday between lightening strikes in the area.

I am not really a big time Field Day person.. Though I have fun when I provide power for the club station when I get on the air... I just normally don't do much contesting at all.

[TXiceman]

I am not a contester either. I will work some for the TQP (Texas QSO Party and Field Day (not really a contest). I enjoy the work of setting up, take down and the friendship of the group. We always manage to have a good time.

Ken

[KF5BET]

Took the girls out Saturday for their first field day experience. They both made a couple of contacts and we spent a couple of hours out. Couldn't be there Sunday (too many things to do at church!).