07/01/2008 | W1OCA Greetings from Oxford ARES W1OCA! We had a good time again this year.
With 5 stations and 1 GOTA (n1yis) station up and running, we had places for the CW, SSB and digital operators.

The weather may have been damp but that didn't reflect the spirit of the group. From the GOTA station, we had new hams, inactive hams, and future hams on the air until almost daybreak on Sunday. It is always fun to watch future potential hams go from not wanting to even touch the radio to being so intent on making contact that they can't hear their ride home saying it is time to go. Brad N1GZB and Wayne N1YIS tag teamed as GOTA coaches.

Our CW operators did very well. As with all Field Days there was one notable humorous incident. On Sunday morning after one of the thundershowers passed by, those of us on site we surprised to hear one of the car horns sending CW. (beeeeeep beep beeeeeep beep beeeeep beeeeep beep beeeeeep ) One of our CW operators ended up missing a contact because he couldn't figure out who was retransmitting what he was sending on the air to a car horn. The antenna over one of the vehicles apparently coupled with the vehicle security system. The owner, who was one of the operating hams and has had this happen before, came over to shut off the car security system.

Ken N1YDP and daughter Cheyenne KB1PHR operated two stations covering the SSB and digital modes. Also covering the SSB portion were Michael KB1OKC and Brandon KB1OJU. At the two dedicated CW stations were ED K1SSH, Joe W1SK, Bob W1IF, and Brandon KB1OJU. Other members of our group also took the opportunities to relieve these operators and try out some different radios.

Our county EMA director Scott Parker and one of our County Commissioners Steven Merrill stopped over for a visit. Other area hams that we havent heard from in a while also stopped by.

As for food, Saturday afternoon Joe W1SK supplied us with the ever popular 5 alarm chili. On a wet foggy Maine day, it was great to have that nice warming sensation.

A BIG Thank you goes to the His Place Teen Center and Bert for allowing us the use of the facilities in addition to the field again this year! Having the W1OCA Field Day site in the same location as last year, gave our group good visibility to the public and attracted some teens as well.

Thanks go to Ed K1SSH for not only his great CW work but helping me with the initial repairs on the portable tower. Thanks to Bob N1WJO for moving the Oxford County ARES/CERT trailer to the site. Using the ARES/CERT trailer to house our GOTA station this year allowed us to have a dry space for the potential, new, and previously inactive hams watch and participate in Field Day. The entry awning served as our space for our amateur radio information table.

This year we used mostly wire dipole antennas and one R5. In past years, we have had beams, wire beams, and quads. Setup and replacing the poorly functioning dipoles was much quicker and easier. The previously orange, primer brown and rust colored mobile tower took on a more patriotic red, white, and blue color scheme this year. As for radios we rotated in and out on the air Yeasu FT897, two Kenwood TS2000s, Icom 7000, Icom 706 and for the GOTA station the ARES/CERT Kenwood TS 460.

So preparations for Field Day 2009 begin. If you find yourself in Oxford County Maine next year, check to see where we are and stop by!
Wayne Strout
Oxford County ARES AEC
73 de n1yis -- N1YIS