09/19/2006 | KG6IYN I have always wanted to share the experience of Field Day and Ham Radio to a group of excited Cub Scouts ... well, since BOTH of my Sons are in Cub Scouts, and Dad has the Ham Radio Gear .. and it's the graduation / promotion weekend for the local Cub and Webelo Pack.. Heck, you can't make up a planetary alignment any better than that !!!

So, for the first time ever, I'm Solo on Field Day - Well, as "Solo" as you can be with about 20 Scouts, not counting their Friends and Family along for the promotion ceremony... The event was held on Fiesta Island, in Mission Bay (San Diego, California). Mixed in with competative games, food, fun and sand, passing out awards and event pins and patches, a taste of Ham Radio to round things out .. and for many, a new way to communicate outside of the cell phone. Even better, some of of the participants in this Pack knew a bit of Morse Code !

Firsts for the Kids - Helping out with the antenna setup and assembly, connecting the radio and the keyer, learning what and how to log, and most importantly - their very first two way radio contacts (other than my own Sons that is !), and in a few cases, even to other Scouts that were participating in Field Day - which sets the stage nicely for JOTA in October !!!

Firsts for Dad - Strange as this might seem (for those that know me from the VHF/UHF Contest circles), my first HF Mobile Operation, and first operation at or about Sea Level (I'm always on a hill, or have been until recently - when the hill was the just the spectator stands at my old High School in the June 2006 VHF Contest - see the soapbox for details).

Very cool stuff, the Kids were amazed (as was Dad) as propagation changed from one state to another, especially on 20 and 40 meters. The antenna was a heavy duty 33 foot tall telescoping fiberglass "kite pole", supporting about 40 feet of copper wire wrapped loosely in a spiral on the way up to the top. Three counterpoise wires, about 30 feet long were used in conjunction with and Icom AH-4 and IC-746Pro to make the contacts.

We operated about four to five hours from Fiesta Island, packing up after the Kids and Adults packed up to go home Saturday Night. Operation resumed for about another hour from Mt. Soledad in La Jolla (about 825 feet ASL overlooking the Pacific Ocean) before heading home.


We had Officials from the Mission Bay Aquatic Department, Local Police and Sheriff Departments, as well as local LifeGuards stop by, visit, offer encouragement and even participate with the Scouts ! I had other Hams stop by and chat about their "good old days" at both locations - always nice to see that it's still a recognised hobby and event !!

Looking forward to next year, and more fun in the sun !!

73 - -- KG6IYN