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2008 ARRL Field Day

WA9STI -- Jul 6, 2009 13:10 ET

K6LZL WA9STI

For 2008, I returned for the fourth time to one of my favorite secluded spots at 6674' in the Los Padres National Forest, in Ventura County, north of Los Angeles. This time Wyatt, K6LZL, joined me for his first Field Day operation. We operated class 2B in the Santa Barbara Section. While a fire had swept through the area the previous year, the site was mostly untouched although trees had burned all around. We made 314 QSOs with 53 on CW using a G5RV and Buddipole on HF and an 11 element beam on 2 meter SSB. There was a nice band opening on 6 meters but due to a high SWR on the 3 element beam, we were unable to take advantage of it. The only other thing missing were a black bear and six point buck deer that visited during Field Day of 2006 when I worked it with my XYL, KB6LAS (see the Soapbox Entry for 2006). For Field Day 2009, I originally planned to come here again but the area was closed off for re-seeding requiring me to scout out another location. Scott -- WA9STI

W7R -- Jul 1, 2009 13:52 ET

In June 2008, the club held Ham Radio Field Day in the usual spot, at the Port of Peninsula and beach at adjacent Moorhead Park, overlooking picturesque Willapa Bay in southern coastal Washington State. As usual, a good time was had by all. There was a CW station, an SSB station and a GOTA (Get on the Air) station. -- W7RDR

Setting up the Spider Beam for the CW station.	The SSB station set up in the parking lot of the Nahcotta Boat Harbor, with the Information Tent.
The GOTA station was set up in the County Mobile Command Vehicle	The usual suspects, left to right: W7FBM, AD7AF, KB7PL, NM7R, KS0O, W1YZ.
The CW shack with the spider beam.	W7UDH, Dick, Adjusting the 40-meter curtain (something to do with tides and launch angle).
KD7CNQ, Stephanie at the mic and KE7SGU, Carolyn logging at the SSB station.	The two main masts for the SSB station are up.
KD7CNQ at the mic with N7CVW and KE7SGU doing the logging.	The GOTA station with a dipole for 75, 40 and 15-meters, and a 20-meter three element yagi pulled in lots of good contacts.
Carlton, KS0O sends an email via packet radio with help from Jay, W7FBM and Dick, AD7AF looking over his shoulder.	The CW station overlooks Willapa Bay, AD7AF at work.
AD7AF, Dick, hunting and pouncing at the bottom of the band.	Stephanie and Carolyn help Bob, W7TOM, make a satellite contact.

N6NA -- Dec 26, 2008 19:51 ET

The River City Amateur Radio Communciations Society (N6NA) operated 5A/SV for FD 2008 from our usual location in Citrus Heights, California at Madera Park (CM98). We had over 40 people in and out, and the highlight was Boy Scout Troop 224 of Antelope, California participating with us. The 12 Scouts all worked on their "Radio" merit badge, and all succesfully completed the requirements to earn the badge. We had our best score ever, and for the first time a majority of the points were CW versus Phone. We also had a joint club operation as the Western Placer Amateur Radio Club joined us for FD operations and a Potluck dinner.

We look forward to FD 2009 with the WPARC and RCARCS. -- W6AWS

Boy Scout Troop 224 worked on their Radio merit badges.	Andy W6AWS gives Ben from the California Office of Emergency Services (OES) an overview of our Field Day operations.
WPARC members Roger K6OU and Pat AA6EG operating 15m CW.	Rob KG6SKA operating 40m SSB.
Ron Murdock W6KJ ARRL SV Section Manager visited our FD site.	Bill N6EF operating 20m CW.
A Scout making his first Amateur Radio Contact on 2m FM Simplex. Chuck W6FT mentored the scouts on radio procedures. Glenn KG6LRX provided the voice at the "other" end of the radio.

K7LYY -- Nov 14, 2008 02:52 ET

The Flathead Valley Amateur Radio Club (FVARC) once again operated from the Flathead County Fair Grounds. This year, Paul, KC7JQR, set up a second station for PSK operation. We also added a LARGE tent (thanks Chris, K7CJA,) and a crane to hold our 40 meter bi-square. There's NOTHING like having a bi-square on 40 meters at 103 feet! WOW what a antenna for 40 meters! The other bands were VERY weak for us this year. 20 meters was almost a wash on Saturday! Still, we had a blast with lots of people getting to run lots of contacts all weekend long. Special thanks to Les, N7CMJ, for bringing down his PRO-III and Heil headset to play with. WHAT A BLAST!!!

We're looking forward to improving our operations next year, we plan on increasing the height of the 40 meter bi-square to 130 feet! Watch out for K7LYY on 40 and 80 meters next year! We're going to put a relay at the top of the bi-square so we can make it a full wave loop on 80!!! -- N7LT

40 meter bi-square and G5RV held up by 103 foot crane!	Club President Norm Palin, K7NCR, cranking up the portable tower.
Q's keep running on 40 meters in a beautiful Montana sunset.	Tom, AL7AU (Left) and Les, N7CMJ, operate 20 meters, running them as fast as possible!
N1MM logging program, set up on a laptop with dual keyboards and monitors for either operator or logger input.	Tom, AL7AU, spinning the dial on the PROIII to once again start down the band hunting for that 'new one'.
Even the Kalispell PD came out to see what was going on Sunday morning. Pictured along with the officer is club president Norm, K7NCR.

K4LRG -- Nov 11, 2008 21:59 ET

The Main Emergency Operating Base Of K4LRG - The 2008 Field Day Station of the Loudoun Amateur Radio Group of Northern Virginia - Check Us Out - www.k4lrg.org

In late June 2008, some fifty members of the Loudoun Amateur Radio Group of Northern Virginia and its Radio Station K4LRG supported by the Loudoun County Chapter of the American Red Cross and members of A Co, 33rd Battalion, Black Horse Brigade, Virginia Defense Force deployed to an emergency field location at Loudoun County's Parks and Recreations's Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve to train, to improve their emergency communications and coordinating skills, and to test their emergency equipment. We do this 'Just In Case' our communities may be in need. Many already know this is important and many more learned this as the Group claimed another high operating score in the annual American Radio Relay League's Field Day.

A full report with 20-some sub-reports are available on the Loudoun ARG's Internet Site at http://www.k4lrg.org/Field_Day/2008/index.html. We hope you enjoy the stories, photographs and charts.

We ran 5A-VA and had a great time. We finished first in our class in Virginia and the Roanoke Division and second in the US.

As always, it was nice riding with you all. Best Regards, Norm Styer - AI2C de Clarkes Gap, Virginia. -- AI2C

NE7WY -- Nov 8, 2008 14:42 ET

What happens in June when several rv's and 49 guys and gals get together in the parking lot of the local volunteer fire department? They RIDE THE WAVES OF FIELD DAY 2008!!!!! A good time of felowship and fun was had by all. We set up three stations in Fishing park and the Gillette Wyoming #3 Fire station for 24 hours of operation. The tower was raised and several other antennas were placed at strategic locations (some took a little ingenuity to set up). We operated in everything from motor homes to pickup tailgates. We had two educational events satelite and psk, along with a joint ARRL/W5YI test session in one of the RV's. A bbq with all the trimmins. Oh how to spend a June weekend, FOOD, FRIENDS, AND AMATEUR RADIO. It just doesn't get any better than this. Thanks to all that helped in the making of a great outing this year at #3 fire station. We are looking forward to an even better time next year in Newcastle!!!!! -- N7XKT

Jim KB7TGR and Jerry KD7YYP raise the tower	Here we are at the fire station
There are more uses for a lawnmower than just mowing. AD7KI brought his generator for the 6M station	N7QAX Demonstrated satelite
I think a goes to b and so on Dave KE7E Duh WY7DK	Thats it Bob KE7EHG and Alan W7TE mentor those future hams at the GOTA Station
We even had some out of state vistors from the Escapee's RVer club	Thanks to all the XYL's for the great BBQ N7XKT was just one of the cooks. Yum Yum!!!!
Thanks to KD7TWF Elaine for looking after the information table (she is shy)	Our CW station
The group learning about digital	Thanks Dave for the use of the station
Bob WG7Y making CW contacts	Mary getting her feet wet in Ham radio at the GOTA station
I see the lawnmower gen set works for AD7KI at the 6M station	We even had a testing session in the evening
N7XKT even got a chance to operate phone in the Campbell County emergency response vehicle.	Digital powered by the sun
The phone station	Jerry KD7YYP and family our other CW operator
Jim, come on down we will fix the flag later

K1YPP -- Oct 21, 2008 13:56 ET

K1YPP near Duncannon, PA, using an ATS-3A (2W) and a 51 foot random wire. Operating table is a flat rock

Last year (2007) I entered the contest while doing a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail from Damascus, VA. I was using a homebrew 1W QRP CW rig. I had a wonderful time and did a posting here about that event. A few days later, in July, having chest pains, I ended up in surgery and had a six-artery heart bypass done. After 300 days off the trail, I got back on in Virginia and continued on the hike. This year I was near Duncannon, PA and operated the contest on Sunday morning for a few hours. I hiked south from Duncannon, to a high spot near what is known there as "Hawk Rock". It is a great location, and the weather was fabulous. I threw a 51 foot wire up into a tree and set up the station on a flat rock. The station consisted of an AT Sprint 3A (ATS-3A), a kit from KD1JV in New Hampshire, built into an Altoids tin. The transmitter was running about 2W and used a series-L tuner for matching to the random wire. Power was a few Lithium AA batteries. Everything fit into a very small, light package for the hike. Murphy stayed away and I had a wonderful time working stations for about an hour. Conditions must have been good, I made most contacts on the first call, and even with such low power, had a reasonable return rate on CQ's. Operating FD with such a simple station has a real "primitive" feel to it and gives one a sense of almost being a "clandestine" operation. I highly recommend trying this for a future contest. Field Day is still one of my favorite contests and I try to participate every year. I wasn't certain if I would operate this year, fortunately things turned out well and I once again operated from the Appalachian Trail. -- K1YPP

K7UXO -- Aug 26, 2008 21:11 ET

This was the K7UXO field day, in the Lolo National forest near Clinton Montana. Operators, Doug Smith W7KF, David McGinnis K7UXO, and Andrew McGinnis KE7OKE.

Operations were CW, Phone, and PSK31. From this remote and rugged location, worked New Zealand, and 49 of 50 states. -- K7UXO

Andrew McGinnis, KE7OKE at the controls	Doug Smith, W7KF working CW.
Antennas - with great elevation.	32 foot fiberglass whip with base mounted automatic antenna coupler.

W6PWT -- Aug 20, 2008 15:16 ET

Cozy EOC Operating

The Corona Norco ARC, W6PWT, spent Field Day operating in the Norco Fire Department EOC, where the radio room is quite small. I have been involved with the last 30 Field Days, but this one had one big difference. Operating elbow to elbow with another ham in the EOC, one on 40M and one on 20M, is not exactly the most comfortable way to spend Field Day. I do believe I prefer being along in a tent. Noteworthy was working 79 of the 80 sections which came as a big surprise in our post-event log review. We missed the Indiana section. By the way, where were all those Indians anyway? -- W6TKV

W4IY -- Aug 18, 2008 14:25 ET

The Woodbridge Wireless Inc. (WWI) participated as in the 9A Category. Here are some of the pictures of the event. -- W4NF

Bob, K4RG on 20 Phone	Bill W4RM (80 CW) and his brother Jack W4NF (40 CW)
WWI's new 30KW Diesel Gen Set	Mike KA4RRU on 20 CW
Bill KG4URW and Dave W4DAV	John K5VG (40 CW) and Stu II W7IY (80 CW) in back
Dan N3XJN and John KT4AD on 15 Phone	Sean W4MFM at GOTA Station - Go Hokies
John K4JK at one of the CW Stations	Phil N4CWX on 6 Meter Phone
John KT4AD, Stu WA0DYJ and Jack W4AD	WWI Storage Trailer
Some of the CW Station's Antennas	6 Meter Tower with 20 Meter Phone Tower behind
KA4CKI Jim	W4IY CW Delta House (aka Animal House) area

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