[FARC] Field Day 2011 Operations at FMH

[Joseph M. Durnal]

It was a different kind of field day for us this year.  We didn't
really rack up the contacts, but I enjoyed talking about the single
station setup.  I'll write about it a bit here.

Antennas.
1. Club Vertical - 10 - 40 meters - worked well on 15 & 20 meters, OK
on 40, and not so well on 10 for some reason.  It was secured to the
parking deck safety fence (horizontal steel cables) with several hose
clamps.

2. Joe's Alpha Delta DXCC - 10, 15, 20, 40, & 80 meters.  Didn't seem
to perform as well on 20 meters as the vertical, but was a real gem on
15 & 40.  Supported between light poles on the top of the parking
deck, oriented east/west with a long coax run to the station.

Rig.
We used the club's (on loan) Icom IC-718 with the Heil boomset and
foot switch PTT, the LDG Z11 tuner, and MFJ two position antenna
switch.  Power supplied by the club's astron linier supply.

Logging.
Used the club station laptop with N3FJP field day software.  We did
not interface the computer with the radio.


Operating in the FMH parking garage worked OK - 100% shade for the
operators, a nice breeze.  I suppose it can get hot in there on a
really hot day, but this weekend the weather was great.  I was quite
surprised at how RF quiet the area around the hospital was, the
receivers were quieter than they were out at the airport!

Currently, most of the club station is still packed in my van, I'll
try to get it put back in the next few days.  I also need to get the
log off the computer and work out a total score to submit to the ARRL.
 It won't be impressive, we made 130 or so QSOs, but for those of us
that participated, I think we had a good time.  I know I did.

73 de Joseph M. Durnal NE3R


On Sat, Jun 25, 2011 at 5:40 PM, Joseph Durnal <joseph.durnal at gmail.com> wrote:
> Shutdown fd for the night be back 8am Sunday
>
> Sent from my Windows Phone From: Joseph M. Durnal
> Sent: Saturday, June 25, 2011 9:37 AM
> To: Frederick, Maryland ARC; MADXRA's Friends&Members
> Subject: Re: Field Day 2011 Operations at FMH
> I normally count on myself as a big resource for FD, but my XYL is not
> feeling well and doesn't think she'll be able to take the boys to the
> Frederick Keys Scout night.
>
> My sincerest apologies, but I I'm going to have to scale back the
> field day operation to one rig and I'll need someone to cover from
> about 5:30p to 7:30a.
>
> Please give me a call 301 471 2943 if you can help.
>
> Thanks & 73 de Joseph M. Durnal NE3R
>
> On Fri, Jun 24, 2011 at 2:08 PM, Joseph M. Durnal
> <joseph.durnal at gmail.com> wrote:
>> The Frederick Amateur Radio Club and Frederick County Amateur Radio
>> Emergency Service will be set up for ARRL Field Day 2011 in the
>> parking garage at Frederick Memorial Hospital.
>>
>> I'm still in need of operators for just about any time during the
>> event.  I'll begin setup at 10:00am on Saturday June 25 and we'll be
>> in operation until Sunday June 26 at 2:00pm, with some time to tear
>> down the operation after that.
>>
>> Feel free to drop by, if you want to let me know you are coming, I can
>> take e-mails and calls.  Planing to monitor 146.58 FM during the
>> event.
>>
>> Thanks & 73 de Joseph M. Durnal NE3R
>> Treasurer, Frederick Amateur Radio Club
>> Assistant Emergency Coordinator, Frederick County ARES
>> +13014712943 mobile
>> joseph.durnal at gmail.com
>>
>