07/09/2009 | W1NVT In planning for Field Day 2009, the BIG question was, How do we top last years tremendous effort? Last year, we managed to not only top the 2A category, but also managed a top ten finish, along with having a record level of participation. We didnt have to worry about this question too long, as we lost key players, key equipment and key antennas from last year, and the question became instead, how do we get on the air?

Little by little, we found replacements for the missing parts. Old antennas were picked up at flea markets and we rebuilt them. Different antenna designs were put into place. And new software was checked out with different radios.

We also spent a lot of time on recruiting setup and take down crews. It comes as no shock to anyone that we are all getting older and individually cant do as much. This paid off dividends as our complicated antenna setup was put quickly into place with a sizeable and well trained crew. We even devoted a club meeting to the proper method to raise and lower AB-577 military towers!

And then Murphy showed up! We were about to raise the last tower when the winds kicked up. The site was buttoned down to ride out what turned out to be a full hour of monsoon rains and high winds. We also got to see just how well those towers were put up. But, just in case, we had everyone stay 100 from the nearest tower.

The rains kept on coming on Saturday (and they havent stopped as of this writing) and the first hour of Field Day was under pouring rain. The roar of the rain hitting the tent was so loud that I had to crank the volume up just to hear. But the rain didnt dampen the mission I had 212 contacts in the phone log in the first hour alone a personal best in a stateside contest.

There was a question of which elected leader would be visiting our site this year. Normally, a State Representative visits. I was all primed to roast whoever showed up since I was not happy with the new taxes dumped on us by the legislature this year. Fortunately, our politician wrangler was one step ahead of me and he instead managed to secure a visit by Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie. But wait, since the Governor was out of the state, we indeed had the functioning Governor of Vermont visit us (worth more points maybe?).

The GOTA station shaped up nicely. Our GOTA wrangler first reported that no one answered to call to operate, and then everyone wanted the same slot Saturday afternoon. We finally had a complete schedule, but were concerned if the new operators could sit down and learn to make enough contacts. They most certainly did! By late Sunday morning we had hit the 500 QSO limit and racked up a ton of GOTA bonuses.

The operation hummed through the night, thanks to our wholly owned subsidy, RANV Power and Light, who provided clean and reliable power for the duration of Field Day.

Sundays highlight was a visit by a news crew from Fox 44. They filmed at all of the stations, and we were even making contacts at the time. As they left, another crew from Channel 3 came in! That night our site was eventually on 3 out of 4 TV networks in Burlington!

When the dust had settled, we found around 4400 QSOs in the logs and are still finding more as I keep looking. The point total dropped a bit from last year, but we are still up there in the big numbers. And we set yet another club record for participation and media coverage. That, and the fact that everyone had all of their arms and legs intact as we left the site signaled that we had one hellavu successful Field Day!

W1SJ for W1NVT / W1PU 2A VT
RANV - Radio Amateurs of Northern Vermont -- W1SJ