W8MAA  3A MI   CW STATION FIELD DAY UPDATE: The CMARC CW crew had a new antenna to play with this year. Last year we employed a 5 element "Bruce Array" for 20m. It played great es we were so impressed by it's performence, that i decided to make one for 40 meters.  This antenna is LARGE. With 4 vertical elements on 40m it also has some repectable gain. ( abt 4.5 Dbd ) With the able assistance of Ron Harger, Bob Berger,es Kurt Neymeier, we raised the big curtain into place es nestled it comfortably high up in the treetops. Testing it out at QRP power i worked stations in Puerto Rico on both 40m es 15m.  When the starting bell "rang" we worked 11 stations in 15 mins. ORP with solar power !  Then we went to high power (80 watts) and the qso's were going into the log at a very nice pace. Things were just fine until about 3 hours into the contest our good friend "Murphy" showed up to haunt us !  For reasons yet unknown our contest keyer "went south". While it wasn't the end of the world , it would put a damper on our rates. But CW men persurvere!. The big curtains DO work. We nearly always won out if 2 stations were calling, and for several periods i was able to hold a freqency and let them come to us!  I had several strings of 1 and 2 qso's per minute. Pure joy !   We bettered last years effort by abt 50 Q's. Total 475 QSO's !   Special tnx to all the guys who came out to help operate and log. Without their help this would not have been possible.  Great Field Day. Special thanks to Ingham Co. Parks Dept. for the wonderful hospiality they showed our group.  73 Gregg WB8LZG