07/09/2008 | W0SA The Rochester (Minnesota) Amateur Radio Club / RARC Field Day was much fun and a success even though our overall score was not as high as we'd hoped due to poor HF band conditions in the upper midwest on Saturday. Sunday from 1400-1800Z was just the opposite and both 15 & 10m along with some good 6m conditions almost made up for it! Despite that our overall best band was 40 using vertical dipoles & we set a new record with our digital QSOs. We tried a 5A operation this year including 2 CW, 2 SSB, and 1 digital on HF plus a VHF station. We dedicated 1 SSB station to our newer hams (some beyond the 1 yr new GOTA rule however our main goals are training newer hams and testing our emergency operations capabilities including generators + portable towers). We also had N8MHD do his own QRP FD station away from the KWs but still close by to participate and compare his 5x multiplier QSOs. We have continued to engage in post-FD discussions that past couple weeks with considerable interest already in what we can do to improve our 2009 FD.

Here are a few photos but you can read and see many more at
http://www.rarchams.org/ftp-gnd/FieldDay08a.htm

MANY THANKS to the entire 55+ who participated along with photo credits to KD0BQ (now AI0M) Stan and KC0GND Bob! 73s Dave -- K0VH