de W3HGT 1E TN

Field Day 2011 was the eleventh consecutive year the reconstituted 570-V Connection participated. The group’s history dates back to the mid 1970s. We had 6 of our 8 regular participants in attendance this year. KE2VO and KA3AIN couldn’t make it to Tennessee this year but were able to find us on the air and each contributed a phone QSO. KA3AIN was our first contact this year. Which is a place of honor traditionally occupied by W2EEW, but conditions at the start were not favorable to NNJ. Al persevered and we did eventually work him on the 40 meter phone band. W3GQ returned from the 2010 Disabled List. K5AEM, W3HGT, WA3WNT, WA3ZOE, and WB3AAC, our 2011 host, rounded out the line up. ARRL sections represented by the operators are NC, NTX. TN, WPA (3).  

We were able to hold on to our initial calling frequency, 7.160 MHz, for only 8:51 (8 hours and 51 minutes). We did a QSY to the CW sub bands to help our point count. Final QSO tally was; SSB: 850, CW: 197 for a total QSO point count of 1,064 before our power multiplier. We were impacted by a lightning exhibition Sunday morning and had to secure for 85 minutes. Our little 1850 W generator purred along for at least 25 hours even through the thunder storms and consumed less than 5 gallons of gas. Far less calories than the operators consumed over the course of the event. We didn’t make a clean sweep of the sections but we were able to copy the CW and phone bulletin.  

The activities of Field Day 2011 are quickly fading but it won’t be long until we start planning our 2012 conclave. We will be listening for you from the beautiful shore of Lake Norman, NC and you’ll hear “W 3 H G T   1 E    North Carolina”.  

Having Good Times  

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