Well, Amateur Radio Field Day 2013 is in the books. For the participating members of the North East Wyoming Amateur Radio Association, it will be one for the ages. A gloomy day dawned with rumbles of thunder greeting us as we set up. Happy that it would be a cool day, we weren't completely prepared for the next step. A blow came through, the likes of which no one in this group had seen at a Field Day event. Pretty much low grade hurricane force winds ripped through our small site accompanied by voluminous amounts of rain. Personnel grabbed anything perishable in the presence of water and dove for cover. About 20-30 minutes later, the bulk of the storm subsided and reduced itself to a drizzle. Only one serious casualty was noted, a homemade pvc tower had been razed in Mother Nature's flogging. We sent appropriate warnings to our brethren up on Warren Peak who yielded an inch and a half of hail at their site probably 20 minutes after we'd gotten our beating. Reassembly of the stations and tower commenced, irrigation ditches were dug with a cast iron griddle to drain our "shelter" area, and the rest of Field Day commenced pretty much without any further incident, except it was learned that an Elecraft K3 does not make an effective radiator for any band. Seemingly sub-zero temperatures ruled the evening and night and we transmitted on. We also learned that it's really, really cool when the US Virgin Islands and Hawaii are in a pileup trying to get you! Sunday morning dawned into a sunny and bright day that was welcomed after the breezy chill of the night and early morning.
We got our newest ham minted at a VE testing session during the storm. Our newest licensed ham was introduced to the joys of amateur radio contesting and all the fun places you can contact from a picnic shelter in the heart of Gillette, WY. Camaraderie and fellowship ruled the event. We didn't break any records, dominate the bands, or even get a clean sweep, but our little group had a really great time and created memories indelibly etched in our minds of the Field Day to end all Field Days. 
I would like to thank everyone involved as we couldn't have done what we did without YOU. It's a pleasure to know all of you and call you my "ham radio family". I can't wait until next year. Well, actually, I can. I'm freaking tired.

73 de AD7KI