Some of the Antennas: The large rotatable dipole is for 10/15/20-meters. The ground plane antenna on the left is for 6-meters, with the 6m/2m rotatable dipole beneath it. The white vertical sticking up above the roof is the Echolink Node antenna. Just visible towards the front of the building (we're looking at the rear) is the 2-meter vertical antenna for the talk-in radio.
Dan, KF4MND, sets up the Echolink Node.
We began setting up at 1000 on Saturday morning. The first thing to go up were antennas: A 2-meter vertical for a talk-in station, a dual band 2m/70cm for an Echolink Node, two 10/15/20 meter rotatable dipoles, a 6-meter ground plane, a 2m/6m rotatable dipole, an 80-meter dipole, and a 40-meter dipole. 3 HF radios were set up inside the pavilion, equating roughly to one 40-meter station, one 80-meter station, and one 10/15/20 meter station. There was also a 6m/2m station, an Echolink Node, and a 2-meter talk-in station. We operated as a 3A GA station, meaning 3 transmitters running off of battery power, limiting to three the number of transmitters on the air at any given time.
Stacy, WA4IDS and sons working 80-meters.
Andy, WD4AFY working 40-meters.
I'm working 20-meters around 0200.
Despite lower attendance than last year, we had a quality Field Day Operation. It would probably not be up to snuff for a contester, but that really wasn't we were geared to. Our Field Day was more about practice and training in setting stations in an environment other than the home. A of this is that three of our antenna masts were raised by placing them on kick-outs we had hammered into the ground and then lashing them to the exposed roof rafters of the pavilion with parachute cord or heavy wire. During the daytime, we were able to keep three transmitters on the air until late Sunday. During the night, I stayed awake and moved between the 20-meter and 80-meter stations trying to keep us on the air, collecting just over a page worth of logs on 20-meters and 3/4 of a page on 80-meters.
Saturday morning brought an excellent 6-meter band opening around 0830. After making a contact with a Canadian maritime station, I started calling CQ on 50.140 USB and worked 75 stations in just over one hour and fifteen minutes, almost averaging one contact a minute. The band was open into the northeastern US and Canada. After my throat got scratchy and needed a break, Ken Jeffers, VE2HFX took over on 6-meters. Ken continues working into the northeast and to the west as the band opened that way, adding to our tally of 6-meter contacts. By the time the band started fading in and out on us, we had logged well over 1oo stations on 6-meters. By far it was the best 6-meter haul we've had in recent Field Day operations.
Early Saturday morning, I traveled west to the Effingham County ARES (ECARES) Field Day site at Lakeview Community Park in Faulkville. ECARES truly had a field set-up for their Field Day, working out of tents for their operating, eating, and sleeping areas. Unfortunately, I left my camera at the ARCS site, so I don't have any pictures.
Sadly, I never found the time to get out to the Coastal Amateur Radio Society (CARS) Field Day at Southside Fire Station #1. I missed being able to get out there and visit with the CARS bunch for awhile. Mark Bolton, KA4CID, had provided a solar trailer to power the radios and I would have loved to have seen that operation. During the daytime, we were able to keep three transmitters on the air until late Sunday.
Mary, KD4DOY and sons; Kurt, N4CVF; Ed, NC5S; and Stacy, WA4IDS and son.
Ed, NC5S; Irene; KF4RFF; and Mac, AF4KL
Mark, KD4PDX shows his renowned enthusiasm.
Irene, KF4RFF; Beth Ann, KI4ZDN; and Andy, WD4AFY enjoy lunch while we wait on the rain to stop to take down the antennas on Saturday afternoon.
I really enjoyed Field Day this year, more so than I have previous years. I worked HF more than I have in previous Field Days, but I think the mini pile-up I worked on 50.140 USB was the highlight of my Field Day. Those of us in attendance enjoyed a couple of meals together and enjoyed just hanging out trading stories through the weekend.
Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net
