[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] Field Day submission

[Rick and Karen Bunn]

ARC-SHORTS

July 2011

Club Repeaters: 147.315 (PL 107.2), 444.6 (PL107.2), 224.82 (PL107.2), 53.13
(PL107.2), 927.6 (-25Mhz, PL107.2), and 1282.600 (PL 107.2), DSTAR
145.38Mhz, 442.060, and 1284.600 

NEXT CLUB MEETING

Our next meeting is July 8th at the INOVA Alexandria Hospital in the Health
Education Center (HEC) located to the west of the main visitor entrance.
The hospital address is: 4320 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA  22304.  We meet
at 7 PM and must leave by 9 PM. This month's program will be on D-Star.  In
addition we will have our Field Day after action review.

JUNE MEETING MINUTES  from 6/10/2011

Officer's Reports - All going well, club is solvent, 

 

Committee Reports:

            Training: Rich KA4GFY reports that exams took place, with 5 new
technicians, 1 new general, and 1 new extra, out of 15 candidates and 14
tests. [If I got this wrong, I will correct the
minutes]

            ARES: Not much.

            DSTAR: Nothing.

            Repeaters: 440 up and running now.

            Webmaster: Roy was not present.

 

Upcoming Events:

            ARRL VHF QSO Party

            Field Day, 6/25-6/26

            Manassas Ham Fest 06/12

            ARC Christmas Party will be at Mango Mikes, 12/16

            Foxhunt by KT4MV 06/18

 

Net Controls:

            6/16/2011: Saunders KD4LEL

            6/23/2011: Rich KA4GFY

            6/30/2011: Rick N4ASX

            7/07/2011: Harry N4CWP

 

Next meeting: 7/08/2011

 

Program:

            Photos from Dayton Hamfest

            Field Day Planning:

                    Location is Ben Brenman Park (come in through Cameron
Station, not Duke Street)

                    Signup sheet for food/snacks/sides/tableware/ice

                    Toilet arranged by Jack K5OTZ, key will be kept on
something to keep it from being pocketed

                    Ian N8IK will make parking passes

                    Copies of permit will be posted

                    Rick N4ASX will work on antennae

                    We will have a GOTA station

                    We will run on generators, not batteries         

 

Rick N4ASX was the winner of the 50/50 drawing.

 

Adjourned.

 

EVENTS IN JULY

Jeremy, KF7IJZ has suggested that we have a new operator session in one of
the parks in the area to allow our new operators some more time to play on
HF.  He has a portable HF station and one other member will also set up a
station.  All those who do not normally get to play on HF are more than
welcome to come out and get on the air.  Details will be worked out at the
July meeting.

FOX HUNTING

Tim, KT4MV has held two hunts so far and all are learning about VHF
propagation and while it is line of sight it can also be line of sight as
reflected.  Thanks to Tim for getting this effort off the ground.  More on
this at the next meeting.

Up Coming Events

Marine Corps Marathon

This is the first call for volunteers for the 36th Marine Corps Marathon.
The Alexandria Radio Club has been a big supporter or this event.  The
marathon will be on October 30th, 2011.  This is an ALL DAY event with some
folks being required to show up as early as 4 AM and some will be on the
course until 5 PM.  

This is amateur radio's most visible public service.

Amateur radio provides:

            1 - Eyes on the course, with operators at every mile and some
places at half mile intervals, to provide assistance to injured runners.  

            2 - Voice and Data communications at the 10 or so aid stations
along the course and from the three finish area medical support positions.

            3 - Link between five zone commanders and the Iwo Jima
operations center and provide the zone commanders with information on the
progress of the race.

            4 - ARPS for the lead runner and the end of the race.

To perform these functions we will need over 120 ham radio operators.  You
can do this if you have a 2 meter handheld and a good antenna.  Each year we
have high percentage new operators.  There will be a training session for
all operators within a month of the race.  The organizational group assigns
team leaders for each amateur radio function, so there is always someone to
help you get ready for the race.

To volunteer,  go to www.marinemarathon.com and sign up as a "Ham Radio"
volunteer.  You will get an e-mail back asking you to go to another website
to provide specifics on your abilities and your equipment.  This information
and your preferences will determine your assignment on the course.  You will
get an assignment and detailed briefing materials long before race day.

Please volunteer.

73 Rick, N4ASX

HAMFESTS

Berryville is always the first Sunday in August, this year it's August 7th.
The club will have a few tail gate spots, so bring a chair and whatever you
want to sell.  You can also drop off your purchases.  The club will have
some estate items to sell to fund the next comm trailer upgrade.

 

Berryville is one of the nicer hamfests.  In the trees, not too large and
the gear for sale covers all the kinds of stuff you're likely to want to
buy.

 

Club talk around will be 147.315 simplex (PL 107.2 is optional)

 

President's Corner

 

I am writing this following our very successful Field Day that was held June
25 and 26 in Ben Brenham park.   I want to thank Rick, N4ASX, and his wife
Karen, for putting together all the logistics involving site selection,
placement and setup of the various radio stations and ensuring that all
participants and visitors were well fed.    I would also like to thank all

our band captains:  Jay, KV3W, Ian, N4ASX, Rich, KA4GFY, Kevin, KF4BBT,
Jack, K5OTZ,  and Don, KI4D for a great job in manning the stations and
making our many contacts.  Our GOTA station was helmed by Larry, KF7IJZ, who
had just recently made Extra and did a great job handling the 10 meter
traffic.   Special thanks also go out to Jack who secured one of the key

items for any successful Field Day:  proper sanitation facilities, i.e., the
porta-potty.  We were also fortunate to have Mark Penn, the City of
Alexandria Emergency Management Coordinator, stop by and observe our
operating activities, along with  Danielle Douez, a reporter from the

Alexandria Times.   With great food and perfect weather,  I believe all the
participants and visitors had a great experience in seeing what Amateur
Radio can do for the local community.    Thanks to all those who
participated in our 2011 Field Day activities, and I hope everyone has a

great summer with plenty of band openings that finally gets you that rare DX
you've been wanting for years!

 

73

  Marshall/KI4MWP

 

Field Day 

 

June 25th and 26th 

 

The club should be very proud of its Field Day this year.  With the help of
new members and a great overall turn out we had one of, if not, THE best
Field Day event in the history of the club.

 

As always the organization was minimal, all pitched in and with many members
stepping up to get things done, all items were covered.  Our President,
Marshall, KI4MWP, kept everything on course. Tom KJ4FUU, our secretary, did
a great job with publicity and we had a reporter from the Alexandria Times
spend many hours with us and hopefully, we will see a good article on what
we do.  

 

Karen Bunn, did an outstanding job as our food chairperson this year, and I
say this not because she in my XYL, but because everyone seemed to be have
sufficient food, I heard no complaints about quality or sufficiency.  In
fact, we had lunch and dinner on Saturday and breakfast (with help from Don
KI4D. Don also provided lighting for the pavilion which made the evening
much more enjoyable.  

 

We tried some new things this year; the most telling was the use of two
stations for CW.  In the past we would set up one CW station and four phone
stations with 10 and 15 covered by one station.  This was because for the
last 6 or so years the sunspots made 10 and 15 somewhat of a loss.  This
year the sunspots were back and our set up took advantage of that.  

 

Our 10/15/20 CW station was managed by Kevin KF4BBT; he may get the award
for most time in front of a radio. Ian N8IK covered 80/40 CW and was also at
it with some help.   Tim, KT4MV, our repeater and fox hunting guru jumped in
and made a great deal of contacts on CW as well.  Our guest CW operator was
Mark (a 2x1 call that I forgot).

 

Our 40/75 phone operation was managed by Rich, KA4GFY, our chief instructor.
Rich used this station to encourage some of our new hams to jump into the
effort.  Mark KF1V who is new to the area and heard about our effort via our
publicity efforts. Mark is an incredible contester and knocked off over 350
contacts on 40 meters.  Our 75 meter vertical did not work quite as well as
I had hoped but we did manage 50 contacts or so.  Christina KJ4UYC made a
few SSB contacts on the 40 meter station.  Great way to learn about HF
radio. I expect that she will be even more active on our next event!  Joe
KJ4UYH also got in on operating at a few stations.  

 

Jay KV3W took on 15 and 10 meter phone, but due to lack of antennas and
antennas space, gave up the 10 meter antenna to the Get on the Air Station,
but this did not stop Jay and Jeremy KF7IJZ from racking up a record 400
plus contacts on 15m!  

 

Our Get on the Air station was managed by Larry, KK4CBL, who for his first
Field Day did a great job.  The idea of the GOTA station is to give new
operators a chance to learn.  With some clubs who are into contesting this
type of station allows new operators to learn without costing the contest
club a station (It's free). Our club is not a contest club so we were happy
to have new operators at ANY station.  Larry did a great job and next year
he will not be able to manage the GOTA station as he will by then be too
long in the hobby to qualify as a new operator.

 

Jack, K5OTZ and past president, brought out his super radio to run the 20
meter phone station and I understand they did a great job of racking up the
contracts. Jack was also responsible for the porta-potty.

 

The weather was the best it could have been, not super hot like last year,
low humidity and no rain!

 

We did not do as well on 75/80 or 10 meters this year, but maybe next year
we will get a location more conducive to a few larger antennas.

 

We will hold an after action meeting sometime soon.  Next year will be more
fun, but topping this year will be difficult.

 

Summary of submission 

Bonus Points: Emerg Pwr = 500, Publicity, Media, Public Place, Info Booth,
FD msg, SM message, Site Visit = 100 each, Web submit =50 ----> Total is
1,150 POINTS

 

Contacts

SSB 10Mtr = 4, 15Mtr = 445, 20Mtr = 174, 40Mtr 326, 75 = 51

CW 10Mtr = 14, 15Mtr = 97, 20Mtr =181, 40Mtr = 79, 80Mtr = 0

 

Total Score for Contacts = 1,763

Total SCORE = 3,526

 

Social Events

Pre-meeting dinner is now at Atlantis in the Bradlee Shopping Center at 5:30
PM. This is also a chance to meet our guest speaker as we offer to buy
dinner for them prior to the meeting.

Monday Night Half Price Burgers - There is a group that gets together at
Shooter McGee's (Duke and Paxton Streets) on Monday evenings at 6:15 PM. A
good burger and soft drink runs about $9.00.

 

 

 

  _____  

From: Rick and Karen Bunn [mailto:RRBunn at cox.net] 
Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2011 9:48 PM
To: (AlexandriaRadioClub at mailman.qth.net);
'alexandriaradioclub-bounces at mailman.qth.net'
Subject: Field Day submission 

 

All,

            Attached is our PRELIMINARY Field Day submission.  I need to get
the paperwork for the FD Message and our SM message and send by e-mail

Will so that later, when I find them.

 

73 Rick