2007 ARRL Field Day
06/25/2007 |
W8SP
Once again the mighty W8SP Field Day team swung into action and converged on the otherwise peaceful hilltop in Marion County WV, where the W8SP repeater is located.
As in recent years, we ran two HF stations, one for Phone and one for CW. We had pretty much the same expert team with a couple of additions and deletions.
Alan W8OP got the grass mowed the week before. It was so dry we didn't have any noticeable growth over the week.
Of paramount importance, the "Handy House" was delivered. Chuck K8UQY and Dawn KA8VHW were camping at the site so they could let the delivery truck into the site through the gate.
Joe WD8EOG and Bob WA8YCD tested out the network and computer software. Everything was looking good until someone closed the (metal) door to the repeater shack where the wireless router was. Suddenly the laptops couldn't see the network. Easy enough fix; just opened the door! Next year we might go with an external antenna.
Somebody brought a couple of copies of the Friday paper with our Field Day article sent in by Jason KB8AVQ. It was printed way up on page 3A. Not bad. Usually we're much further back.
On planning night we had started the generator that was loaned to the club by Bill WA8YCG for the cause. It started up so nicely the very first time that we didn't think to look at the voltage output. Then on FD morning during setup, it was discovered although the Diesel engine was running, we were not getting any output. Field Day was nearly about to start. Chuck K8UQY and Jason KB8AVQ made a quick trip down the hill to Greg N8TJD's to get his generator. We'll be sure to check more thoroughly next time, and not assume just because the motor starts so nicely that it's also really generating electricity!
We didn't even try the 160m Dipole this year. It stayed coiled up in
the box. Something for next year's list. The 80m and 40m dipoles were checked, and went up with new ropes this year fresh from the Dayton flea market.
The main focus was getting up a three-element beam. The mast used last year seems so much less effort than assembling tower sections as we had done prior to that. Since we just aim the beam Southwest and leave it there, this arrangement does quite well. It also goes up easily and comes down easily when we're done.
The CW team had some difficulty in the first hour, but managed to get right into the diagnostic mode. They swapped out rigs at one point to determine where the problem was. Last I'd heard they'd decided it was a bad coax jumper, and quickly got it replaced.
We had some youth involvement this year. Jenna KD8EBJ did pretty well on the Phone station with her dad Alan W8OP as control OP on the lower HF bands. She worked 10m on her own privileges.
Greg N8TJD climbed the tower late Saturday afternoon to put up a 440 beam in hopes of making an FSTV contact with a FD group in neighboring Preston County. That's about 25 miles away. We put a signal out there, but didn't see a reply.
Our EMT Visitor Jeff KZ8E just happens to be an experienced satellite op. He stayed around for one of the scheduled ISS passes. We listened for FD activity from above. We're not sure whether we heard a hint of a signal from ISS, or if it was intermod from the Phone station.
I missed my chance to exchange SSTV pictures this year with the gang in Harrison County. I had to be off site for a while and didn't get back until way too late. I had even made up a nifty "test pattern" that we could use on both SSTV and FSTV.
The high point of the MARA Field Day event (gee, pretty much ANY MARA event!) is dinner. Joe WD8EOG found us a nice ham, and his employer, Mrs. Toothman, graciously prepared it and a nice batch of baked beans, and some brownies too! Others brought in dishes which complemented the main meal, and there were snacks galore.
We got the nifty Field Day Info Package from ARRL HQ. Not only did they send some nice color brochures, but they also sent the spiffy acrylic document holders, too! We didn't have very many visitors, but those that did come by seemed to like the literature that the League produced. Several questions were also asked about the model Wouff Hong we had sitting on the Information Booth table.
Thanks once again to Alan W8OP and his spelunkering group, we had the large canopy which served as dining area, social center, and general hangout for off-duty Ops and visitors.
For the MARA gang, Field Day is a multi-faceted event. Some get to practice setting up stations in field conditions, some get to operate and use their skills to keep the contact rate up, but just about everyone in the group agrees that it's also a social event and that it has as much a feel of a family reunion as it does a ham radio event.
Each year we look forward to the next Field Day beginning on the day after the previous one.
73
Bob WA8YCD
President, Mountaineer Amateur Radio Association -- WA8YCD
As in recent years, we ran two HF stations, one for Phone and one for CW. We had pretty much the same expert team with a couple of additions and deletions.
Alan W8OP got the grass mowed the week before. It was so dry we didn't have any noticeable growth over the week.
Of paramount importance, the "Handy House" was delivered. Chuck K8UQY and Dawn KA8VHW were camping at the site so they could let the delivery truck into the site through the gate.
Joe WD8EOG and Bob WA8YCD tested out the network and computer software. Everything was looking good until someone closed the (metal) door to the repeater shack where the wireless router was. Suddenly the laptops couldn't see the network. Easy enough fix; just opened the door! Next year we might go with an external antenna.
Somebody brought a couple of copies of the Friday paper with our Field Day article sent in by Jason KB8AVQ. It was printed way up on page 3A. Not bad. Usually we're much further back.
On planning night we had started the generator that was loaned to the club by Bill WA8YCG for the cause. It started up so nicely the very first time that we didn't think to look at the voltage output. Then on FD morning during setup, it was discovered although the Diesel engine was running, we were not getting any output. Field Day was nearly about to start. Chuck K8UQY and Jason KB8AVQ made a quick trip down the hill to Greg N8TJD's to get his generator. We'll be sure to check more thoroughly next time, and not assume just because the motor starts so nicely that it's also really generating electricity!
We didn't even try the 160m Dipole this year. It stayed coiled up in
the box. Something for next year's list. The 80m and 40m dipoles were checked, and went up with new ropes this year fresh from the Dayton flea market.
The main focus was getting up a three-element beam. The mast used last year seems so much less effort than assembling tower sections as we had done prior to that. Since we just aim the beam Southwest and leave it there, this arrangement does quite well. It also goes up easily and comes down easily when we're done.
The CW team had some difficulty in the first hour, but managed to get right into the diagnostic mode. They swapped out rigs at one point to determine where the problem was. Last I'd heard they'd decided it was a bad coax jumper, and quickly got it replaced.
We had some youth involvement this year. Jenna KD8EBJ did pretty well on the Phone station with her dad Alan W8OP as control OP on the lower HF bands. She worked 10m on her own privileges.
Greg N8TJD climbed the tower late Saturday afternoon to put up a 440 beam in hopes of making an FSTV contact with a FD group in neighboring Preston County. That's about 25 miles away. We put a signal out there, but didn't see a reply.
Our EMT Visitor Jeff KZ8E just happens to be an experienced satellite op. He stayed around for one of the scheduled ISS passes. We listened for FD activity from above. We're not sure whether we heard a hint of a signal from ISS, or if it was intermod from the Phone station.
I missed my chance to exchange SSTV pictures this year with the gang in Harrison County. I had to be off site for a while and didn't get back until way too late. I had even made up a nifty "test pattern" that we could use on both SSTV and FSTV.
The high point of the MARA Field Day event (gee, pretty much ANY MARA event!) is dinner. Joe WD8EOG found us a nice ham, and his employer, Mrs. Toothman, graciously prepared it and a nice batch of baked beans, and some brownies too! Others brought in dishes which complemented the main meal, and there were snacks galore.
We got the nifty Field Day Info Package from ARRL HQ. Not only did they send some nice color brochures, but they also sent the spiffy acrylic document holders, too! We didn't have very many visitors, but those that did come by seemed to like the literature that the League produced. Several questions were also asked about the model Wouff Hong we had sitting on the Information Booth table.
Thanks once again to Alan W8OP and his spelunkering group, we had the large canopy which served as dining area, social center, and general hangout for off-duty Ops and visitors.
For the MARA gang, Field Day is a multi-faceted event. Some get to practice setting up stations in field conditions, some get to operate and use their skills to keep the contact rate up, but just about everyone in the group agrees that it's also a social event and that it has as much a feel of a family reunion as it does a ham radio event.
Each year we look forward to the next Field Day beginning on the day after the previous one.
73
Bob WA8YCD
President, Mountaineer Amateur Radio Association -- WA8YCD
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