[FARC] Field Day Followup

[Glenn Silver]

This was my first field day and it was a blast. Had fun working the contacts and just shooting the breeze.

73s...Glenn.  K3GLS

On June 27, 2016, at 6:56 PM, David Kindred <david at retroscape.com> wrote:

Howdy, all,

My thanks to you fine gentlemen who spent so much time and effort getting things set up so the rest of us could play. And play we did! 

What we were missing in good radio conditions, we more than made up for in camaraderie. Sure had a blast with you all!

73, 

—David K3PO

> On Jun 27, 2016, at 12:26 PM, Mike Myers <netnutmike at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> He everyone,
> 
>   Field Day 2016 has come to an end and overall I think it was a great success multiple ways, but first I want to thank everyone that came out to help setup on saturday, came out to operate and even just hang out for a while and those that helped to tear down.  It is only made possible by those that are willing to pitch in.
> 
>   Before I go to far into the details, the Frederick News Post did an article on us: http://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/education/amateur-operators-showcase-uses-of-ham-radio/article_84830715-907a-5fe3-813f-6e62131200d2.html <http://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/education/amateur-operators-showcase-uses-of-ham-radio/article_84830715-907a-5fe3-813f-6e62131200d2.html>.
> 
>   The reporter called at about 6pm saying she was on her way and I told her we had already left so it was really a phone interview.  She had never heard of CB radio or Ham Radio until she moved to fredrick.  It was a little tricky providing details to her.  But the article I think is a decent one.
> 
>   Field Day started out a little rough even in the setup stage.  Our planned tower trailer puller injured himself and was unable to go pull the trailer (hope your feeling better).  After some searching for someone to tow the trailer John Hart showed up to help setup and he had the ability to tow but no hitch, so we went to haul, got a hitch and the tower trailer was on it’s way.  Thanks John for being willing to help us out in a pinch.
> 
>   We also had a snafu with the grill for the cookout but we worked through that and got a grill there, and the cookout was great.  Like Amateur Radio operators we were innovative in getting through the problems.
> 
>   Our first success was the teamwork to get things setup and work through all of the issues that came up.  Thanks to Jeff for schlepping all of the stuff from the storage area to the parking lot, he made multiple trips back and forth.
> 
>   We were setup just before 2 and some things started rolling at 2.  Bands during the day were not good, in fact they were pretty terrible.  By 7pm we had only just over 20 contacts.
> 
>   We also had a GOTA station setup this year and we had one person work the GOTA station.  Thanks to my wife, who made her first contacts on Amateur Radio at the GOTA station, conditions were still pretty terrible but she managed to get a couple.  Dave helped her out in the beginning to understand the process and got her comfortable.  After our sections leaders left I helped her make the contacts.
> 
>   As nightfall started conditions got better, not great but better.  Into the late night and overnight Ray (who brought out his awesome Duece) made some CW contacts as brian pounded out the voice contacts.  By morning we were just over 100 contacts.  As morning came, the horrible conditions came with it and contacts started to sound more like noise.  I do not have the final count of contacts in front of me but I think it was over 150.
> 
>   Glenn Silver brought out his QRP rig and made many contacts on low power of 2.5 or 5 watts.  Just goes to show you do not need much power to make contacts.
> 
>   Besides just the contacts that we made for the contest part, it was a great social event as well.  There was just as much talking and hanging out as there was working contacts.  I appreciate everyone that came out in whatever capacity.  We did have quite a few people stop by to see what was going on.  Some were Hams that hadn’t been active in a few years, we had a couple operate and make some contacts too.
> 
>   All in all this year I think was a great success and look forward to doing it again next year.  We have some lessons learned from this one as well that we can take forward for next time.
> 
>   I have some pictures and I will send them to brian for the website and also post them in the pictures area on Meetup.com.  If have not joined in meet up.com for the club you should, also we have a Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/902554613191219/ <https://www.facebook.com/groups/902554613191219/>  I will post the photos there as well.
> 
>   Thanks again everyone and hope to see you at the next meeting on the 18th of July.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mike Myers
> netnutmike at gmail.com
> 
> K3DO
> 
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