Amateur Radio Geekery: Field Day

[mtnbkr]

2pm Saturday till 2pm today is the ARRL Field Day exercise.  My club set up a 3A station at a park nearby.  I ran one of the stations, a solar powered QRP station.  To get the extra 100 points for operating a solar powered station, I had to make at least 5 contacts.  I made 15 total (QRP, less than 5watts output, is tough in crowded band conditions).  We had a good time and the cookout was great. My family came down and joined us for the cookout and hung out till a rain shower blew in.

My station:
Radio: Yaesu FT-817nd with BHI DSP mod.
Tuner: Emtech ZM-2 kit
Power source: 12v 13watt solar pannel with charge controller and 12v 9AH battery
Antenna: 122ft dipole at 30' fed with 300ohm window line (similar to the old twinlead used with TV antennas).

Pics...

My station:


Antenna:


Solar Panel:


Satellite array:


Chris

[wmenorr67]

 

[K Frame]

Excellent.

Here, you need someone to maintain your satellite array...

I suggest a geek array...

[Nitrogen]

I hate Field Day.  They set up across the street from us every year.

EVERY YEAR it reminds me that I cannot afford to start this hobby that I'd totally love to start.

[mtnbkr]

I hate Field Day.  They set up across the street from us every year.

EVERY YEAR it reminds me that I cannot afford to start this hobby that I'd totally love to start.

Many FD sites will have a "GOTA" station (Get On The Air).  The GOTA station's sole purpose is to get non-hams on the air for the first time.

Getting the license can be free.  Other than one book, I didn't spend anything to get my licenses. 

Get involved with a local club.  Attend any events they have.  You'll have opportunities to use other folks equipment.  Once folks get to know you, you'll probably find that many will be willing to loan a radio to you. 

Can you afford $50?  If you're willing to learn CW, there are several monoband CW transceiver kits for $50 or less.  Use some scrap wire for the antenna and you're set.  You won't break any records, but it's a start until you can move on to bigger and better systems. 

BTW, the higher HF bands were open this morning (specifically 6m, 10m, and 15m).  I went out to our site and made as many contacts in two hours as I did all day yesterday.  I talked to quite a few of Manedwolf's neighbors up in New Hampshire.  In general, conditions and my antenna favored stations north of me.  I didn't get to many south and west of NoVa

Chris

[Nitrogen]

While I understand what you're saying, and agree, my problem is that I cannot afford to persue the hobby nearly as fastidiously as I'd want to.

That, and my wife would leave me the day I wanted to put an antenna in the yard, because it would "embarass" her.

[Boomhauer]

While I understand what you're saying, and agree, my problem is that I cannot afford to persue the hobby nearly as fastidiously as I'd want to.

That, and my wife would leave me the day I wanted to put an antenna in the yard, because it would "embarass" her.

Well, many work HF with a wire antenna strung up in a tree. Many in restrictive areas use stealth antennas, like inside antennas in attics and such.

You can buy a basic VHF/UHF radio for around $200 new, or a VHF (2m) for under $200. You can buy a very nice basic HF radio like the Icom 718 for a little under $800, or buy an older HF radio (like a Yeasu 101 series) for pretty darn cheap. They won't be nearly as fancy as the latest radios, but they will get you on the air.

I currently operate an Icom 208H for VHF/UHF. I'll often tote my powersupply, transciever, and antenna out to my truck on a nice evening for a couple of hours of ragchewing on the local repeater...sitting in the bed with the magmount antenna stuck on the cab and an extension cord running out for  the power supply.


Our station was W4WGD, 2A, SC. Anybody work us? We worked just about all of the eastern half of the US, from the  Minnesota-Iowa-Missouri-Arkansas-Louisiana line east.

I didn't talk on the HF during field day, but I logged for a couple of operators...we made plenty of contacts, running an Icom 746 with a wire strung up in the tree...started a couple of pileups on 80 meters, and worked some on 40 meters...I was at our club's setup from 7:00pm Sat to 4:00am Sun morning, then I had to go home and sleep b/c I had to work Sun. afternoon...I would have stayed at our station. We tried for a satellite contact, but something was screwy with the bird (we have a member who knows a lot about sats)

Needless to say, I've got the HF bug bad now. Gonna pick me up an Icom 718 after I get my general, which I am hoping to take soon. Gonna try for Extra, too.

[mtnbkr]

I don't recall working anyone from SC myself, but maybe one of our other operators did.  We were W4OVH 3A Va aka Whiskey Four Oscar Victor Hotel Three Alpha Victor Alpha, QSL.

Chris

[Boomhauer]

I don't have the logs myself, but we definitley worked several VA stations, so we might have worked you.

We had a lot of OH and TN contacts. We also had several MDC contacts (including a 23A station).

[mtnbkr]

23A!!!  Holy cow that's a big one.

For those who are trying to keep up, a "23A" station is one with 23 transmitters all operating from power sources OTHER than commercial mains.  They would be using generators or battery power. 

We were a 3A station and used generators (except for me, I used battery and solar).

Chris