2021-06-26 My two friends, Jerry N9AC, Carl AF9L and I K0BXB only had to today to play Field Day so we went to our local Silver Eagles RC Flying Field and set up our three stations. Jerry and Carl brought their Xiegu G90 rigs and I had my IC705, all operated from batteries.
For Antennas, Jerry put up two, a 9:1 unun random wire about 84' long and a 40-10 EFHW, both made on site using speaker wire. Carl used my SignaLoop magnetic loop and I used three, my Wolf River Coils TIA Mini with Chameleon 17' whip, my 29' end fed with 9:1 unun and my QRPGuys EFHW.
We operated under our own individual calls and even though our rigs were only about 15' apart and interfered with each other we had a ball. Combined we logged about 30 contacts on 40, 30, 15 and 17 meters. The most exotic contact was made by Jerry with a station in Hawaii! Oh, and we all operated at five watts!
It rained cats and dogs overnight last night and rain was predicted off and on all day today. But thankfully it did not rain at all the four hours we were at the field. We even had periods of sunshine and the temperature was mild, mid 70s for the high.
Fun was had by all! We're grateful for those who worked our meager 5 watt stations with humble antennas. Now on to Field Day 2022!
In the photos, Jerry is on the left and Carl on the right. I'm behind the camera!
For Antennas, Jerry put up two, a 9:1 unun random wire about 84' long and a 40-10 EFHW, both made on site using speaker wire. Carl used my SignaLoop magnetic loop and I used three, my Wolf River Coils TIA Mini with Chameleon 17' whip, my 29' end fed with 9:1 unun and my QRPGuys EFHW.
We operated under our own individual calls and even though our rigs were only about 15' apart and interfered with each other we had a ball. Combined we logged about 30 contacts on 40, 30, 15 and 17 meters. The most exotic contact was made by Jerry with a station in Hawaii! Oh, and we all operated at five watts!
It rained cats and dogs overnight last night and rain was predicted off and on all day today. But thankfully it did not rain at all the four hours we were at the field. We even had periods of sunshine and the temperature was mild, mid 70s for the high.
Fun was had by all! We're grateful for those who worked our meager 5 watt stations with humble antennas. Now on to Field Day 2022!
In the photos, Jerry is on the left and Carl on the right. I'm behind the camera!
2021-05-11 The ARRL Field Day held the last full weekend of June each year is a long-running portable operating event, since early in the Ham Radio hobby. Thousands of hams world-wide set up their gear as clubs, groups or individually out doors, often away from buildings, power or permanent antennas, some combining camping and radio to spend 24 hours contacting Field Day stations and others. Some setups are big and elaborate. Others are very small and portable. It can be usually fun, challenging and rewarding. And it "educates" us hams on how to communicate under less than ideal circumstances which might and often is useful in natural disasters and emergencies when normal means of communications are interrupted.
This year the tentative plan is for two or three of us here in Burlington, WI to, like the past few years, set up shop at our local Flying Club's site. There is no power or water with a porta-potty as the only amenity. It does have a small "pole barn" shelter, open all around about 15' by 20' and a couple picnic tables. The setting is perfect for what we want to do and is beautiful besides! Watch here for further details and a report.
2021-06-16 Preparing for ARRL Field Day in ten days, I got out my primary antennas and checked them all out. They are,
1) a DIY 17ft 20 meter wire vertical with a tapped coil at the bottom for 30 and 40 meters.
2) my Wolf River Coils TIA Mini with Chameleon 17' whip.
3) a QRPGuys 40-10 EFHW with a link for 30 meters.
4) I also have a 20, 30, 40 meter link dipole I may check out tomorrow. And I have a SignaLoop magnetic loop. Not sure If I'll take either of these two on the Field Day outing.
My challenge will be deciding which one to use!
1) a DIY 17ft 20 meter wire vertical with a tapped coil at the bottom for 30 and 40 meters.
2) my Wolf River Coils TIA Mini with Chameleon 17' whip.
3) a QRPGuys 40-10 EFHW with a link for 30 meters.
4) I also have a 20, 30, 40 meter link dipole I may check out tomorrow. And I have a SignaLoop magnetic loop. Not sure If I'll take either of these two on the Field Day outing.
My challenge will be deciding which one to use!
2021-06-18 Today, continuing my preparation for Field Day, I set up my 20/30/40 SOTABEAMS link inverted vee. I used a 20 ft carbon fiber fishing pole to support the center and a length of RG-174, my favorite portable coax. The test turned out to be simple as the thing was spot on for all three bands. I really like using the "flimsy" carbon fiber fishing pole as to change the links it's easy to slide you hand up the wire to the link you want to connect/disconnect without lowering the antenna. Made three contacts, one on 20 meters and two on 30. The last one on 30 meters was with W8KJP 1070 miles south in Florida was a 17 minute rag chew! Ten watts CW. Del gave me a 57 with QSB. QSB was an issue but we did OK. So the antenna is ready to go. By the way it is made with a QRPGuys 1:1 balun and SOTABEAMS light antenna wire which is excellent wire for portable antennas. Strong and very light.
2021-06-25 'Twas the night before Field Day.... This Spring has been one of the most rain free anyone can remember here in southeast Wisconsin. We're over seven inches below normal for the year - or we were until this week! And for the past few days rain has begun. Then today, tonight to be more precise the faucet has been turned on with forecasts now suggesting rain and thunder storms all night and all day tomorrow and Sunday. So, unless "they" are wrong, our field day plans are almost assured to be just that, plans! My wife, wanting to be encouraging asked, when is the next one? Maybe you guys can do it then?
The sting isn't quite as bad for me since I've been doing POTA activations which are almost mini field days. But the two guys who I was going with are not doing any other sort of portable operating. I was also looking forward to sharing the experience, maybe even getting one of them interested in POTA. And then again, maybe the forecasters are wrong? :-)