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ARRL Field Day 2009

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Steve Maurer

Tue Jun 23 2009, 07:58PM

Registered Member #133 Joined: Fri Feb 10 2006, 10:27PM
Location: Pensacola, Florida
Posts: 47

It's that time of the year again... This year's amateur radio ARRL Field Day begins Saturday, June 27th at 1800 UTC and continues until 2100 UTC Sunday, June 28th.

Information on the ARRL Field Day event may be found here: Field Day.

The objective is for amateur radio operators to practice using emergency-powered radio equipment and to practice setting up the equipment outside of its normal operating location. The goal is to set up the equipment and subsequently make two-way radio contacts with as many amateur radio stations as possible, while using as many of the amateur radio bands as you can.

Many amateur radio clubs set up equipment in open fields (hence the "field" in Field Day), use generators or batteries to power the equipment, and use temporary antennas. Field Day promotes the practice of the emergency use of amateur radio equipment. The event is wide spread and numerous amateur radio operators will be on the air this weekend.

Even if you do not have a license, you may visit your local radio club's field day event and legally transmit with their equipment while another licensed amateur operator is nearby. This provides an opportunity for those without licenses to try out amateur radio. If you do not have a local club nearby that is holding field day, then just just enjoy listening in on the activity if you have a receiver that is capable of listening to the amateurs bands.

I hope to hear some of you on the air this weekend...

Steve, N8WQF

Dave Marshall

Tue Jun 23 2009, 09:34PM

Registered Member #16 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 02:22PM
Location: New Wilmington, PA
Posts: 554

I'll be on the air from Meadville Pennsylvania under the W3MIE club callsign. Sunday I may sneak off to Presque Isle state park on Lake Erie to run QRP portable on the beach for a couple hours under my own callsign, AB3I.

-Dave

Steve Maurer

Wed Jun 24 2009, 04:00AM

Registered Member #133 Joined: Fri Feb 10 2006, 10:27PM
Location: Pensacola, Florida
Posts: 47

Running QRP on the beach would be fun. What equipment will you be using for the QRP?

We will be in Milton, Florida under our club call W4VIY. Give us a shout if you happen to hear us.

Cheers,

Steve N8WQF

Chris Russell

Wed Jun 24 2009, 06:18AM

... not Russel!
Registered Member #1 Joined: Thu Jan 26 2006, 12:18AM
Location: Tempe, Arizona
Posts: 1052

Looks like I'm going to have to sit this one out. Far too much work piled up. I'm going to have to put together something spectacular for 2010 to make up for it.

Good luck to everyone! Pictures would be a very welcome addition to this thread, when it is all over.

Steve Maurer

Thu Jun 25 2009, 04:30PM

Registered Member #133 Joined: Fri Feb 10 2006, 10:27PM
Location: Pensacola, Florida
Posts: 47

W4VIY (Milton, FL) will be running class 4A for the event. Some of the equipment we plan to use this year include:

1) SSB station: Yaesu FT-100 or Yaesu FT-920 with a 10/15/20 meter Mosley beam at 30' and an 8' weather balloon with a long wire.
2) CW station: Kenwood TS-570 with a 10/15/20 meter Mosley beam at 40' and an 8' weather balloon up at 130' to 150' with multiple wires.
3) Satellite station.
4) Digital station: Yaesu FT-857D.
5) Power: Generators and several deep cycle batteries.

I'll take a few pictures to post either during or after the event.

Steve, N8WQF

Hon1nbo

Sun Jun 28 2009, 03:54AM

Registered Member #902 Joined: Sun Jul 15 2007, 08:17PM
Location: Pacific Northwest USA
Posts: 1042

today I was with the Dallas Amateur Radio Club setup at Flagpole Hill, in Dallas - callsign W5DCR was used - I was happy to make my first HF contacts with hams around, and out of, the country... got British Columbia, Pacific Islands, New England, and I could communicate with some stations in Mexico but their Spanish was too fast for me...

once night came things really opened up for a lot of stuff here - I would be there all night but that would not make my parents happy

only downside was that a lot of the activity between 60-80 meters I found was rag chew, and there was one station I wuite couldn't get on 15 meters (w6ze) due to his way of calling CQ (he said CQ at least ten times, his call thrice, then CQ a couple more, then his call again with "field day" thrown in here and there) - I spent a good 25-30 minutes trying to get that station on 15 meters... never did

I'll be back in the morning - hope to see ya on the air!

73! - ke5tuz, Jimmy (W5DCR for Field Day Operations)

Dave Marshall

Mon Jun 29 2009, 12:26AM

Registered Member #16 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 02:22PM
Location: New Wilmington, PA
Posts: 554

I worked on 6m (HUGE opening!) 15m, 20m, and 40m over the course of the event, spending much of Sunday early morning on 40m. I spread out my operation on SSB, PSK31, and CW.

All told I had 325 contacts on my own, and I operated straight through the night. Our 2A station amassed more than 1,200 contacts, nearly half of which were CW. I don't think we'll have a problem winning our section in the 2A category again this year (this club has placed better than 4th four years running, including one win).

My 20m portable moxon beam was a big hit, and made a huge difference, as did an impromptu 350' end fed, auto-tuned wire I put up just before dark Saturday. I averaged 85 contacts/hour for nearly 90 minutes on 40m between about 7 and 830am Sunday. Quite a pileup!

DajjHman, I believe I worked your station, though I can't remember which band. Probably 40m. I'll have to comb through the log in a couple days.

It was a great time, and I look forward to next year. Apparently I have been nominated to the Field Day committee for the local club for my efforts :P.

-Dave

Hon1nbo

Mon Jun 29 2009, 02:13AM

Registered Member #902 Joined: Sun Jul 15 2007, 08:17PM
Location: Pacific Northwest USA
Posts: 1042

if your worked our station on 4o meters, I'd check the CW logs - I don't think we did much on anything else for 40m due to excessive noise blanking out any station, but they may have done some stuff on it while I wasn't there...

Steve Maurer

Tue Jun 30 2009, 04:01PM

Registered Member #133 Joined: Fri Feb 10 2006, 10:27PM
Location: Pensacola, Florida
Posts: 47

ARRL Field Day 2009 has come to a close. Here are a few pictures from the W4VIY Field Day. Some great additional photos taken by other MARC club members may be found here MARC ARRL Field Day 2009. There are shots available of the balloons, antennas, equipment setup, etc.

Steve N8WQF

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