ARRL Field Day 2009

[Budog]

My Son Shawn and I went to the Davis County Amateur Radio Club meeting today. We both joined as members. Needless to say we are confident of passing our Technician Class License test next month. At the meeting today they called for volunteers, the first job was to "transport the most important piece of equipment". Several people volunteered for the assignment until they found out it was transporting the Port-A-Potty on a trailer... When they announced that all the volunteers took down their hands that were raised. So, being the noobs, I volunteered to tow the "honey wagon" up into the mountains with my Jeep. I figured this it was a good way to earn browny points. (pardon the crappy pun...)

We are having our field day up in the heart of the Wasatch Mountains of Northern Utah at the summit of Monte Cristo Pass. We are going to camp out for four days from June 25 to 28. Sad to say we will not of taken our Tech License Test yet but we can at least get involved through the GOTA Program.

Shawn and I have volunteered to work out local (Layton City, Utah) 4th of July Parade and fireworks show. We should have our call signs and radios by then!


Budog.

[NeFire242]

You should be able to fully participate! You should be able to use the clubs callsign as long as there is a control op with you. Jump in and use the radio!

[newsphotog]

Working the GOTA station isn't a bad deal either though, depending on what band/mode the club will have the GOTA station setup for. It helps the club earn extra points.

[KD0HMI]

I am just anew HAM as well. I joined the Raytown, MO ARC last month, and I am going to be not only at Field Day, but am planning on helping set up (the little I can). I also will be able to get on GOTA, but this will be my first time to make contacts. So far the only contacts I have made are local on our repeater (K0GQ, 145.1700, Raytown, MO) and a few who come on using ECHOLINK. I have made my first two international contacts with Australia and Germany. Hope to make a QSL with ya. 73

[N1BHH]

It's an honor to transport the crapper. If someone don't do it you'll be doing your doo-doo in the woods. I'd rather have a seat and something softer than a twig to clean up after. Field Day is a lot of fun and you will enjoy it. I don't look at it as a contest. I like going for the grub and grog, and the general comradery and the knowledge of being able to set up in a place with a generator and live semi in the rough.

[newsphotog]

My club cheats. We rent out a shelter area of a state park near a lake that has actual restrooms... with electricity and indoor plumbing -- the works! We may not rough it with the restrooms, but we are using solar power and generators for our radio equipment.

[KD0HMI]

Our site is going to be right behind our city hall, and next to our police station. So our "facilities" are going to be indoors. As for power we are going to have three generators, and most of or stations will be in trailers or the like with AC even. (It gets hot here in Missouri).

[tekshogun]

I love Field Day. We'll be setup in Summerfield, NC at the community park. There is a huge shelter but I am not particularly sure what the bathroom arrangements are. I know there is a multipurpose activity building but it may not be available. The Red Cross, I think, will be out to feed us as well. Lots of good times at field day. I will likely be working the GOTA station if it is setup or use another ham's callsign. Field Day for me is like Christmas was when I was a kid. I've been waiting for the past year for this. It will be my third and certainly not my last.

[canav844]

I won't be able to meet up with any clubs as I'll be traveling, but does anyone know which freq I should keep an ear on from my mobile to help some other make contacts?

Specifically 2m/70cm, but any band could probably be listed.

[tekshogun]

Originally Posted by canav844

I won't be able to meet up with any clubs as I'll be traveling, but does anyone know which freq I should keep an ear on from my mobile to help some other make contacts?

Specifically 2m/70cm, but any band could probably be listed.

You know, unless you have a list of active club repeaters for the areas you are going through, you can at least keep the national call frequencies on your scan list: 146.520 and 446.000

[comsec1]

as much as field day is my favorite ham radio activity I wish they would change the date to a time more favorable to being outside such as the fall. I like to mix camping with ham radio but june/july is just too uncomfortable to be camping or hanging outside in a non airconditioned tent at a park with all the flys and mosquitos. so as it is I still operate but it has to be from my garage or basement. how about it ARRL, the end of september or early october for the fall foilage.

[tekshogun]

Originally Posted by comsec1

as much as field day is my favorite ham radio activity I wish they would change the date to a time more favorable to being outside such as the fall. I like to mix camping with ham radio but june/july is just too uncomfortable to be camping or hanging outside in a non airconditioned tent at a park with all the flys and mosquitos. so as it is I still operate but it has to be from my garage or basement. how about it ARRL, the end of september or early october for the fall foilage.

Funny you mentioned airconditioned tents. I just got finished helping to set up a really long wire antenna (something to the degree of 1500 to 2000 ft......... imagine that). I am helping with the GOTA station and we setup a tent that some of the guys worked out a GREAT airconditioning jig that sets up right against one of the doors of our tent so we will have a fairly efficient airconditioned tent and above that is a large tarp to keep any rain out of our way and to provide additional shade around the tent. We'll be operating quite comfortable in this North Carolina June heat. I have a couple of pictures and will take more and sometime I'll get them up so you all can see what craziness we've gotten ourselves into. I love Field Day.

By the way, 10 meters was alive and kickin' like PO'd mule.

[k9rzz]

Originally Posted by tekshogun

Funny you mentioned airconditioned tents. I just got finished helping to set up a really long wire antenna (something to the degree of 1500 to 2000 ft......... imagine that). I am helping with the GOTA station and we setup a tent that some of the guys worked out a GREAT airconditioning jig that sets up right against one of the doors of our tent so we will have a fairly efficient airconditioned tent and above that is a large tarp to keep any rain out of our way and to provide additional shade around the tent. We'll be operating quite comfortable in this North Carolina June heat. I have a couple of pictures and will take more and sometime I'll get them up so you all can see what craziness we've gotten ourselves into. I love Field Day.

By the way, 10 meters was alive and kickin' like PO'd mule.

Our goup did something like that once. 500 ft of wire, center fed with open wire feeders. Worked great until some thunderstorms popped up, then it was a lightning detector. It took me a while to figure out that the shocks I was getting on my finger tips from the keyer paddle were related to any lightning strikes within 5 miles of us. Doh! (We were young 20 somethings at the time). Ground? Hey, this is Wisconsin and we were parked on top of a large hill comprised of glacial gravel. What ground?!

Hi Hi!

We shut down, though, and all was cool.

[stevolene]

I wish one of the local clubs in my area were like some of these you have mentioned in this thread, I know field day is more about HF than anything else, but so far Ive heard little or no trafiic at all on UHF/VHF, most all members of my city's local clubs rarely stay up past 9, much less camp ...... most are old codgers that arent interested in welcoming any new hams, much less ones that arent licensed yet ....... you guys are very lucky to have these type of clubs in your area.

[gewecke]

Actually field day in general should be about emergency preparedness as well as various bands for comms.
Stations on hf/vhf and uhf should be powered by anything BUT the local utilities! Portable antennas from ground mounted masts and natural structures should be used,because in a real world situation you're not going to be able to get nice towers and convenient tilt-overs to ground zero. Most of the field day ops.I have seen in past years have been about comms.from tailgate stations which are ok,but ops from motorhomes? Yeah,right!
Not to mention,the contester's should stay home in their shacks...not in the field trying to see how many "notches" he can get!! Ok,I'll quit ranting...it's just that field day is supposed to test your skills,not show off your shiniest gear! Sorry if I got anyone lit.
N9ZAS.

[tekshogun]

I must make a correction from my last post. The long-wire antenna we setup is in the ballpark of 900 ft not 1500 to 2000.

Originally Posted by stevolene

I wish one of the local clubs in my area were like some of these you have mentioned in this thread, I know field day is more about HF than anything else, but so far Ive heard little or no trafiic at all on UHF/VHF, most all members of my city's local clubs rarely stay up past 9, much less camp ...... most are old codgers that arent interested in welcoming any new hams, much less ones that arent licensed yet ....... you guys are very lucky to have these type of clubs in your area.

Sorry to here that, but if someone in your area can organize you can get people setup. I can't say anyone was camping out at our location (despite the makeshift A/C tent) but people were running shifts at our stations (4 official stations and a GOTA station).

Originally Posted by gewecke

Actually field day in general should be about emergency preparedness as well as various bands for comms.
Stations on hf/vhf and uhf should be powered by anything BUT the local utilities! Portable antennas from ground mounted masts and natural structures should be used,because in a real world situation you're not going to be able to get nice towers and convenient tilt-overs to ground zero. Most of the field day ops.I have seen in past years have been about comms.from tailgate stations which are ok,but ops from motorhomes? Yeah,right!
Not to mention,the contester's should stay home in their shacks...not in the field trying to see how many "notches" he can get!! Ok,I'll quit ranting...it's just that field day is supposed to test your skills,not show off your shiniest gear! Sorry if I got anyone lit.
N9ZAS.

I guess different areas/groups have a different way about hosting their field day section. I heard quite a few 1D's (which I am told is a single station at someone's home) my section was setup in a community park, commercial power was near by but in one area we had a big generator and in the other area (where I primarily helped setup) we use Honda 2000 Watt generator (the portable ones). I guess it all depends, field day is a very social event for our area and we like to see a meet people in public and over the airwaves.

Well, I need to get back to Field Day to help break down.

[ridgescan]

I am not a ham-but I was monitoring on my R71 and came across some DXing around 14-14500KHz and down around 4-4500KHz.I heard a roll caller say "field day"so I assume I heard you guys? I just tuned into something on 21235KHz too and a guy in Colorado is trying to work it and calls "CQ CQ CQ United America" I am confused about what meter bands these freq areas fall under since from what I have read they fall outside the parameters? ..or did I see an old list?

http://www.hamuniverse.com/shortwavebandfreqs.html
This is the list I went by-it seems 21235KHz makes sense but not the others. Do they open up more bands for you guys for contesting?

[KC0STG]

Boy 24 hours went by really fast...lol.

Had a great time. The local Mc Donalds allowed us to setup our field day operations in the Parking lot. We ran our generator feeding Three 100 w Generators , Power Supplies and one fan (LOL).

I made a lot of good contacts on 40, 20.


Looking for field day 2010 ...Hope to contact you all on the air.

73 for now.

[mtindor]

Originally Posted by ridgescan

I am not a ham-but I was monitoring on my R71 and came across some DXing around 14-14500KHz and down around 4-4500KHz.I heard a roll caller say "field day"so I assume I heard you guys? I just tuned into something on 21235KHz too and a guy in Colorado is trying to work it and calls "CQ CQ CQ United America" I am confused about what meter bands these freq areas fall under since from what I have read they fall outside the parameters? ..or did I see an old list?

Shortwave Band Characteristics - Listening Times, Frequencies and Shortwave Bands Explained!
This is the list I went by-it seems 21235KHz makes sense but not the others. Do they open up more bands for you guys for contesting?

Here in the US, Field Day activities can be heard on any amateur band (except the WARC bands - 30 meters, 17 meters and 12 meters, which are supposed to be free of all contesting).

So you may hear people active over Field Day weekend on any of the bands in the following list except the ones mentioned above:

ARRLWeb: ARRL Band Plans

In fact, you may also hear contesting at just about any other time of the year. There are some very large worldwide contests, SSB specific contests, CW specific contests, digital specific contests, VHF/UHF and above specific contests.

There is also another amateur band - 60m. I'm not too familiar with it, and I'm not sure contesting is allowed there (it shouldn't be). It's not a wide swath of spectrum, and in fact prileveges on this band are granted on a few specific frequencies, not a swath of spectrum - See ARRLWeb: 60 Meters FAQ

Below is a link to a very popular contest calendar - check it out. You'll know when to expect heightened activity on any of the ham bands (even if propogation isn't great), since more people will be active during a contest.

WA7BNM Contest Calendar Main Page

Since youv'e got an R71, you might want to consider running checking out some digital modes - feed your audio into a sound card, run any one of a dozen or more very popular and useful multimode digital programs that can be had for free and you can enjoy checking out various interesting modes besides voice / CW.

Between 4.000 Mhz and 4.500 Mhz you probably actually heard a MARS station just referencing Field Day, not actually working it. I'm not familiar with the activity of MARS, but you may actually hear MARS stations active participating in Field Day - they may be able to do that for additional "points." MARS stations have access to frequencies outside the typical ham radio bands - and they would be making contact with other MARS stations. See Military Affiliate Radio System - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Mike

[ridgescan]

Thanks for all the great info Mike. Neat stuff about MARS too!