[K3PZN-List] FD Wrap-Up: It's the Experience Dude!

[Curt Milton via K3PZN-List]

Some wire antennas, a rocket launcher + yagi, a mil mast, some antenna improvising -- a nice RV shelter - some nice radios -- decent ions -- low enough QRN -- reasonable temperatures and no rain -- no issues integrating with the VFD's other event -- things generally worked.  



1. We had lots of visitors -- including a few former members stopping by.   FD is a much greater draw than our meetings.  

2. We had a young guy stop by that saw our yagi on rocket-launcher -- its good for more than making a big signal !  He asked if he could set up his rig for a few QSOs ... wow a little box I have seen in QST and a nice tube with a vertical inside.  He installed and made some Q's.  There is indeed a future for amateur radio!  

3. It was fun to use a new rig!  W3JJH brought a Argonaut VI.  My report for CW operating - wow.  Very good receive audio, nice selectivity from its adjustable DSP, easy to operate with minimal training, nice fast enough QSY to other bands, nice QSK.  Its 10 watts made it to W6 many times just fine.  We operated many hours on battery/solar.  

4. Phone ops enjoyed the K3 and FT-950.  

5. Kerri, Ray and Mike had their Rocketlauncher fix.  Also we elevated the low band phone antenna with it.  
6. Kerri and Ray saved the day for feeding our masses !  
7. W3JJH, N3SB and WB8YYY somehow successfully integrated a rig, PC and antenna -- with a dual power source for the rig.  
8. An eclectic mix of diverse ham radio activities just plane works !  Much more interesting than a one-dimensional FD.  


While we can lament much, let's not go there!  


Ok for everyone's benefit -- a few 'minor' things:

1. Need to have cables and drivers in place for PC to talk with the rig.  Our SSB ops 'suffered' without a bandmap.  Root cause understandable as they used rigs others had supplied.  

2. Spread out more with antennas.  A pair of HF antennas were too close -- but we managed. 
3. If in doubt, provide a means to send CW as a back-up plan.  

4. Always leverage diverse skills amongst the team

Yikes -- I wish we had provided a visitor log -- but maybe those of us with available non-volatile mental RAM can recreate the list?

NEED -- please email me -- 

1. Station logs -- just send me what it is on your computer or a summary by band/mode
2. Backing for bonus points we should claim
3. We'll do our scoring duty.  Keep in mind OUR SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE scored very high.  


Strategy?  Need to seek some 'positive bounce' in our club follow-through.  My simple ideas:  (likely you have better ones!)

a. Advance our capabilities for moving traffic -- further Winlink and plug into Mesh-Net Wi-Fi ?  

b. Nurture 'geek' activities for those few of us into that stuff
c. Explore a plan B for perhaps a future 'inclement' FD
d. Further our connection with other clubs?  

e. Long Range: by some scheme could we find a place for a remote operable HF station?  would provide emcomm for a local disaster or support someone else's disaster.  at off-times it could serve aging population that might live where they can't have a radio.  ok perhaps unrelated to FD, well except for class F participation someday.  


73 CUL Curt