07/06/2007 | AL7LE AL7LE 2A AK [Moosehorn Amateur Radio Club, 146.28/88] - Skyview High School, near Soldotna, AK, was the site for the Moosehorn ARC's 2007 Field Day. The day was quite a success,
despite the drizzle and smoke that was drifting in from the Caribou Hills forest fire. Not only did we enjoy a great potluck dinner, but Dave Carey, the mayor of Soldotna, visited twice!

At 60N, we figured for out-of-state action only on 20 and 40, but also planned for 15. We set up the 204BA (4 element 20 meter antenna) on a 40 foot tip-up tower and started operating while others hung a 40 meter dipole and set up a tribander. While we had a willing crew for set-up and only one band open, we also set up a single-wire DMS (double magnetic slot) antenna cut for 40 meters, between two conveniently-spaced light poles. It was long enough that we used a 30-foot hot stick in its center.

Satellite contacts were made with an arrow antenna and with KL7XJs sat station with tracking antennas mounted on a snow machine trailer.

The results: 15 meters never opened here. We made about 2/3 of our contacts on 20 meters and the remainder on 40. A total of 312 contacts, including 5 satellite contacts, were made; 197 of them were CW. The dipole and 204BA worked well; the tribander is ill. We conducted A/B tests with the dipole and DMS. The DMS on 40 meters could hear about as well as the dipole, but we think it needs better ground and/or more height - which would be too much work for this location.

Rich, KL7RA, demonstrated the benefits of using networked computers, with good software (we used TR). It worked well and we decided that we will continue using this system, or something similar, in the future.

We also had a testing session where KL0DF upgraded to General, while 2 others didnt quite pass (theyre going to try again during our hamfest on July 14). -- KL7P