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#1
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This year I did FD with a local multi-club group here in EPA. I've
done it with them several years now because of a couple of good friends and because they have a site and power. We had clear-but-warm weather, not losing any time to rain/thunder/ lightning. But cool drinks and a fan were essentials! We were in 7A + GOTA, with 100-watt class rigs for 160 through 2 meters, plus satellite, at a local park. Power was Onan genset that ran the whole period on one (quite large) tank of gas. Logging was N3FJP networked software. In previous years we've had one CW capable station, and all the rest a mixture of 'phone and digital. Usually the lone CW station made about 2/3 as many contacts as the rest of the setup combined. Last year (2009) we were 5A and made 528 CW QSOs (a new record for the site) with our single CW setup. The 'phone and digital folks made about 700 QSOs last year IIRC. This year (2010) we had 2 CW capable HF stations (one full time, one part time) plus a part-time 160 station that did a handful of CW QSOs. We set a new group record of over 750 CW QSOs - more than double the total number of 'phone QSOs by all the other setups combined. The old 528 QSO record was broken before FD was 12 hours old. There were periods when I was working them more than 1 a minute in S&P mode. When all the results are in, our CW total may be a new group record for a single mode. All HF stations ran 100-watt-class mid-line xcvrs and wire or vertical antennas. The CW-only station rig was an FT-897 and the CW/SSB rig was an FT-100D. Other rigs ranged from an IC-746PRO to a TS-2000 to an IC-740. The GOTA station made 110 'phone QSOs. Somebody brought digital stuff but never hooked it up. We hit the air at exactly 1800 UTC Saturday and quit a little early. I got a couple of hours sleep in the wee small hours. I was home by 1900 UTC Sunday. Still putting stuff away, though. Wait till next year! How did others do? 73 de Jim, N2EY |
#2
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On Sat, 3 Jul 2010 13:03:24 EDT, N2EY wrote:
This year I did FD with a local multi-club group here in EPA. I've done it with them several years now because of a couple of good friends and because they have a site and power. We had clear-but-warm weather, not losing any time to rain/thunder/ lightning. But cool drinks and a fan were essentials! We were in 7A + GOTA, with 100-watt class rigs for 160 through 2 meters, plus satellite, at a local park. Power was Onan genset that ran the whole period on one (quite large) tank of gas. Logging was N3FJP networked software. In previous years we've had one CW capable station, and all the rest a mixture of 'phone and digital. Usually the lone CW station made about 2/3 as many contacts as the rest of the setup combined. Last year (2009) we were 5A and made 528 CW QSOs (a new record for the site) with our single CW setup. The 'phone and digital folks made about 700 QSOs last year IIRC. This year (2010) we had 2 CW capable HF stations (one full time, one part time) plus a part-time 160 station that did a handful of CW QSOs. We set a new group record of over 750 CW QSOs - more than double the total number of 'phone QSOs by all the other setups combined. The old 528 QSO record was broken before FD was 12 hours old. There were periods when I was working them more than 1 a minute in S&P mode. When all the results are in, our CW total may be a new group record for a single mode. All HF stations ran 100-watt-class mid-line xcvrs and wire or vertical antennas. The CW-only station rig was an FT-897 and the CW/SSB rig was an FT-100D. Other rigs ranged from an IC-746PRO to a TS-2000 to an IC-740. The GOTA station made 110 'phone QSOs. Somebody brought digital stuff but never hooked it up. We hit the air at exactly 1800 UTC Saturday and quit a little early. I got a couple of hours sleep in the wee small hours. I was home by 1900 UTC Sunday. Still putting stuff away, though. Wait till next year! How did others do? 73 de Jim, N2EY I operated 1B-Battery using a solar panel to charge the battery. Equipment was a 1-watt QRP rig for 40, antenna was a dipole that I lashed together and hung up about 15 feet off the ground. Operated in the shade sitting in front of my garden shed-workshop. Operated only 40, everything manual -- straight key, paper log and dupe sheet, all by myself. Temp was in the 90's so, in keeping with the battery-solar theme, I kept myself cool with an old muffin fan running off the battery. Made 250 contacts between start of FD and midnight Saturday when I shut down. All my contacts were east of the Mississippi, probably due to my QRP and dinky antenna -- it was FUN -- every contact was an adventure. Had family obligations so did not get back on until a couple of hours before the end Sunday and found 40 dead as a doornail here in Eastern Virginia. |
#3
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We did a pretty massive effort with three high power stations, two
legal limit and one near legal. We had a 40 meter beam, and 2 Steppir antennas as well as an 80 meter dipole and an 80 meter inverted V antenna. The Beams and Steppirs were on Surplus military masts. Power was via a generator. Amps were a Heathkit for near limit, and a big honkin' Ameritron for Voice 40, and a Tokyo Hi-Power for the CW station. Rigs were Mark 5 Field for 40 Phone and CW stations, and a venerable but still contest worthy IC-765 for 20 Phone. We use every bit of the allowable station circle, and have a receive antenna put as far away from the transmitters as possible. We set up on a Fire company fairground with two main areas. The 40 meter and 20 meter voice stations were under a pavilion, and the CW station was in a surplus military hut on a trailer. It was air conditioned for goodness sake. There's an enticement to work some CW. I brought my home office hi-back chairs to keep the operators comfortable. Saturday evening we had a little cookout for the operators and setup members. One of the setup guys is also a good cook, and I enjoyed an awesome steak and grilled kielbasi, watermelon and other treats. We all put away prodigious amounts of water and soda trying to keep hydrated. It's a lot of fun, although as you can imagine, putting up a station of that magnitude is a lot of work. I'm usually exhausted by the time we're finished. Thank goodness for the guys that come out to help setup and tear down. We have several who like to do that, but don't care for operating. They're every bit as important as the operators. I generally run home and get a couple hours sleep around 4 am Sunday morning, then another nap in the afternoon after teardown. Then I feel "jetlagged" for the next couple days. |
#4
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Michael J. Coslo wrote:
It's a lot of fun, although as you can imagine, putting up a station of that magnitude is a lot of work. I'm usually exhausted by the time we're finished. Thank goodness for the guys that come out to help setup and tear down. We have several who like to do that, but don't care for operating. They're every bit as important as the operators. I am one of the "roadies" for field day. I used to take part in the VHF QSO parties back in the '80s. I was easy to find. I was the one with the 10x12' tent with the 8' buffet table with the test equipment and tools, a fridge, microwave and an air conditioner. Around '87 or so, a bunch of us decided to tackle the HF Field day activities. I told them, "I will stage things and keep everyone focused." For a loosely organized bunch on their first time out I think we did pretty good, we came in 10th place for our category. *grins* Shanktooth ARC Jeff-1.0 wa6fwi -- “Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of stupidity.” Frank Leahy, Head coach, Notre Dame 1941-1954 http://www.stay-connect.com |
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