Working Field Day from home at first seemed real appealing – and it was a dream experience, but first, I had to make sure the wife was preoccupied with other projects so I could play downstairs on my radio.  The strategy worked until I discovered that 20 meter phone somehow messes with our over the air TV reception, so I moved to FT4.  I had little experience with FT 4 but was determined to conquer it.  It was the best Field Day ever for me.  Quiet, relaxing and intense.  Also, I have to say, I was just thrilled by the number of very polite and courteous operators out there.  Most people were patient when conditions demanded such a response and most followed the rules of good radio practice.  Some even asks “is this frequency in use!”

My personal trauma was that my wife decided to tkae the car to visit our daughter and our coffee maker broke just before the contest.  I had to do the entire event without coffee.

While I miss the spirit of a Club field day and the hot, buggy outdoors, I have to admit there was something magical about working FT4 in the comfort of my air conditioned home.  

K9RST