We set up operations in Hewitt Park, our usual location for this event.

We began arriving around 10:00 AM Saturday to erect an "emergency operations center" with three radio stations capable of world-wide communications, without relying on commercial power. After a nice lunch of sandwiches and pizza, at 1:00 PM, we began operating those stations continuously, for 24 hours—wrapping up operations at 1 PM on Sunday.

We used the N3FJP logging program connected via a local mesh network to document all our contacts for submission to the ARRL, and comparing our performance with other clubs and contestants. Much thanks to Clint AE5CA for setting up all the logging computers, and using a "Ham Mesh" wi-fi network that enabled a real-time analysis of our scoring—not to mention connecting each station with a live audio/video feed back to the control station set up under the Pavilion! Ain't technology great?!

We experienced an interesting wrinkle this year: Hewitt accidentally double-booked the pavilion for Saturday afternoon, so we had to share the the space for a few hours with about 50 kids and adults holding a birthday party! Flexibility! That's what dealing with emergency operations is all about, right? :-)