- This topic has 48 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 4 months, 2 weeks ago by
.
-
Posts
-
I will start the thread here for the 2024 Summer Field Day, June 22 & 23, Saturday and Sunday of the fourth full weekend in June.
We will be at the large pavillion between the Love Civic Center and the Pump Track, where we have been in recent years.
Last year, Field Day 2023, Cindy and I tried some things to keep cool in the summer heat. We used a pop-up canopy with clear walls and an air conditioner. It worked but it was fairly labor intensive to set up and the canopy was very large and heavy to transport.
In our ongoing effort to make the Field Day setup easier we are trying a different type of “tent” this year, 2024.
For the tent we are using an Alvantor Pop Up Canopy Tent – Vendor Booth Event Tent – 12×12 Pop Up Canopy.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09CTQP9WC?ref=ppx_pt2_dt_b_prod_image&th=1
At 28 lbs., this canopy is very easy to set up, just take it out of the carrier bag, throw it down where you want it and jump back as it springs into a tent! To take it down you just fold it up like you would those sun shields for your vehicle’s windshield. This tent has lots of windows so we can see out and the other folks can see us operating.
The air conditioner we are using is the same as last year, a Midea U-Type window AC that will just slip under one of the walls of the tent, the tent does not have a floor. Last year the AC kept us in the low 80’s and with a fan to move the air around we were quite comfortable – not sweating. It will probably work better this year as the Alavantor Pop Up walls are sealed whereas the canopy walls were not sealed and were leaky.
If you are interested in this method both the canopy and the AC are on sale right now, 26% off on the canopy and 40% !!! off on the AC.
You can see reviews on both the canopy and the AC on YouTube.See you there!
Charles WA5VHU
I am already looking forward to Field Day 2024. It’s always a fun time.
Charles, if you will, go ahead and start the map of where we will be. Please put Phillip’s RV where he usually is, and put my RV where it was last year, and claim the spot you want to operate from. Then, mark Cliff somewhere under the pavilion, wherever you think he will fit best to operate from. Right now my plan is to run a 991a and a dipole. That may change if I get to pick a new antenna. As far as I’m concerned, Field Day is a great excuse to get a new one!
Ok folks, a few posts here about plans for our 2024 Field Day excersize.
Below is an artists deception of the pavillion layout.
The two motorhomes should fit down at the east end.
I plan on putting my pop-up bubble tent next to the second column from the northwest corner.
I plan on using the west parking lot antenna and I believe Mark W5PTX will use the east parking lot antenna.
So far, Cliff KI5OPP is the only other station that has let me know that they plan on being there for Field Day. I show his station skewed as I don’t know the details of his operation and where he would like to locate in the pavillion nor what antenna he plans to use.
So Cliff, if you are reading this please get with me and let me know.
If anyone else plans to operate please let me know your intentions.
Below is a layout of the area around the pavillion that we have to work with.
For antenna location purposes please note the locations of the two parking lot antennas and refrain from putting your antennas too close to either of these.
Also please note that due to the high-voltage power lines on the south side of the pavillion antennas can not be located there. Those lines run between the trees and the pavillion so I don’t think you could even safely tie rope to the trees!
In the past we have had folks put masts up to hang antennas out in the field to the west, in the area northeast of the bathrooms and in the area south of the bathrooms.
I figure a very long wire from the top of the 381′ self-supporting tower that is 1,700′ to the north would be ideal. Who wants to climb the fence and then the tower?
W5W 2023 Summer Field Day
Participants So Far:
•W5WON / W5EBC – with their air conditioned motor home to generate power.
•W5PTX – with his motor home and one HF/6m station, using the east parking lot wire antenna.
•KD5CCB / WA5VHU – with an air conditioned pop-up bubble tent, one HF/6m station, using the west parking lot wire antenna,.
•KI5OPP – facilities / station / antenna unknown????
•Who/what else?
•The free extra VHF/UHF all mode station? Anyone?
Food / Drinks / Ice ???
•Anyone planning for food? (I just do the technical stuff!)
•KD5CCB / WA5VHU will have some ice and some drinks.•Whataburger on Lamar is open 24/7.
If you are going to bring your radio and antenna to operate don’t forget:
Radio!
Power supply & AC extension cord(s). DC cable between the power supply and radio.
Microphone/key/computer for digital.
Headphones/headset.
Coax/Ladder Line/antenna feedline. It may be a long feedline run if you go out in the field to the west.
Antenna tuner (if needed for your antenna). Don’t forget the coax jumper from the tuner to your radio!!
Antenna & supports. There are not much in the way of trees to throw a wire antenna over.
The trees on the south side of the pavilion are next to high-voltage power lines! Can’t use those!!!
Table & chair(s), medium/low illumination lamp(s) for nighttime operation.
Fan, drinks, cup, snacks.
Set everything up on the table you are going to bring and make sure you have everything you need and that it all works before you get to Field Day ! ! !
If you need help or equipment let me or someone else know!
If you want to operate but don’t want to bring your own equipment just ask at any station. Most operators would love some relief! If you aren’t sure if you want to operate you can log contacts on the computer and observe what the operation is all about.
Should we rotate the bands every couple of hours to different stations?WA5VHU will bring the following:
The HF band filters and flags. These will be used by each HF station.
The Field Day software, you need your own Windows computer for your logging.
The Field Day software will be networked among the computers via Wi-Fi.
W5EBC will be there with his motorhome with generator and air conditioning. Is that right Phillip?
Also, I will bring my station and all necessary accessories. You bring yours!
Sorry i missed this post….its been a crazy two weeks. When I get a chance to read through all of this,
Ok I will bring my truck and truck camper , in the bed, and set up somewhere under the pavilion , I will more than likely bring a vertical antenna for hf and a vertical for vhf/uhf.
I am fighting the urge to bring everything and the kitchen sink. That is what I normally do.
Thanks Charles for all the work you are putting into this.
Cliff – sounds great!
A suggested location for your camper might be down at the west end of the pavillion, with your vertical HF and your VHF/UHF antennas in the spots on the west end as shown in the picture.
If your HF vertical antenna needs a larger area for radials you could put your antennas at the east end as shown in the picture. You could put your truck down at the east end but it might get a bit crowded down there with the two motor homes planned for there.
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.
73,
Charles
A big Thank You to Phillip, he got the generator in my RV running, so we can use that for a back up to the back up. I do plan on plugging in, but can fire it up if necessary.
For operating, I will bring my POTA setup and that should have me going on the air. I sad this last year, and failed. I’m going to say it again, and we’ll see how it goes. I will try to make a satellite contact.
I have yet to see much interest in the free uhf/vhf, or GOTA stations. So, unless expressly asked for it, and they have someone that wants to operate them, I will not bring equipment for this.
I have a tentative plan for food. I will enlist help on putting that all together as we get closer. Currently the plan is for Saturday lunch and supper, and Sunday breakfast. The menu has yet to be determined, but food will happen at those times. Everyone will be responsible for their own snacky snacks. I’ve reached the age where I don’t want to be uncomfortable or hungry for long. LOL.
I encourage anyone that is new or has interest in HF to come out during this event. It is a great way to pick up on operating styles, and see different equipment. It’s also a great time for camaraderie.
All,
I just received an ARRL email which provided Field Day 2024 details. Here are links to the Field Day 2024 poster and Field Day 2024 Rules (modified 03-14-2024). Kathy and I are looking forward to everything but the heat! 😉
Phillip
I would like to take a quick poll a to see how interested the members are in putting a low-profile digital station on the air for Field Day, probably FT-8. I will also bring this up at the next Saturday club meeting on 4/27.
Voice (SSB) contacts get us one point per contact however CW and Digital gets us two points per contact.
I can provide everything needed; the HF radio, computer, a modest antenna, table and chair and other equipment, someone would just have to sit and click the mouse on the computer to make contacts. They will be stuck on one frequency per band and don’t have to know how to operate the radio plus they don’t even have to be a Ham.
They can be set up at a table somewhere or even be in our air-conditioned tent!
One of those in the crowd of folks down at the east end could even operate while making up fish stories with the other folks…
What do you think? Will you volunteer to operate the station? Just sit and click and rack in the points?
73,
WA5VHU
I want to do digital. I just havent been able to make it work correctly.
If you can help me set my kit up for it I would be glad to do it.
I want to learn winkink too.
Cliff,
If you want to operate “digital” on Field Day you need to determine which digital format or formats you want to operate as not all are suited for Field Day. Google can be your friend here.
It has been many years since I operated digital. I seem to recall that I made one or two contacts on FT8 and longer ago I made a few contacts on PSK31. I don’t know what is the most popular formats out there now for Field Day.
As for helping you I would just be poking around in the dark, like you are likely doing. You might try YouTube, there are numerous videos on how to set up digital software and also on how to set up most models of radios.
I offered to set up one of my HF radios on FT8 and so far I have one person that says they will operate it, that being the new club member from New Zealand (sorry, forgot the name/call).
To set up my radio for FT8 I will need to learn how to do it between now and Field Day.
If you want to get yours working and want to operate your station with the new club member that will be fine, I won’t have to learn how to assemble my station.
Let me know how it goes!
73,
Charles WA5VHU
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.