07/09/2008 | W3HGT de W3HGT, 1E, NC

Field Day 2008 is the 8th consecutive year the 570-V Connection was able to meet and operate. This year Eric, KA8FAN, joined us for the first time. Eric is the only member who has never lived in the Pittsburgh, PA area but with the 8 Land call he hales from close enough. The only Western Pennsylvania members, WA3ZOE and W3HGT made the drive to the QTH of W3GQ on the shore of beautiful Lake Norman, northwest of Charlotte. WB3AAC made the drive from Paris Landing, Tennessee, and K5AEM rode the Big Bird from Austin, Texas. KA3AIN rounded out the crew with a short drive from Little Switzerland, North Carolina and left his view of Mount Mitchell, (elevation 6,684 ft (2,037 m)), the highest point east of the Mississippi River. Although Talley didnt do any operating this year we appreciated his time over the hot grill making sure we had enough to eat. His priorities are definitely in the right place!

Although our primary mission is to get together, visit and eat once a year we did some serious operating and managed to keep the generator and transmitter going for 24 hours. Our QSO count was down a little as was our CW QSO contribution.

We originated 11 NTS messages and copied the ARRL Field Day Bulletin. All in all us old timers still have it and are looking forward to Field Day 2009 when we are scheduled to rendezvous at the K5AEM QTH in Georgetown, Texas.

73 and C U Next Year,

de -- K5AEM